VOLUNTEERING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 250, 19 October 1894, Page 4

VOLUNTEERING.

REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE

IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS,

{BY TELEGRAPH.—PARLIAMENTARY RE'

PORTER,}

Wellington, this day. Major General Sir O. S. ■VViutmore's reporb of the recent Volunteer Conference has been presentod to the Government, and will shortly be laid before the House. The document is voluminous, bub bhe following are its principal recommendations :— That, considering tbe necesaiby of having in time of war a secure harbour for commerce in each island, bhe harbours of Wellington and Lybbelton should be strengthened. That bhe Governmenb should take steps to probect the cable stations. Thab it is of bhe utmost importance thab the complete re-arming of the force with Martini-Honri rifles be proceeded with'at once.

Thab the permanent force should be firsb armed from the 500 rifles in hand, and tho residue distributed between bhe four principal cities and Nelson. Thab there should be at all times ab bhe five disbricb centres mentioned in Colonel Fox's reporb a bobal reserve of small arms sorvice ammunibion of nob less than one million rounds, and distributed.

That bhere.hould not bo leas than one hundred rounds per man of the nominal strength of bhe district ab each centre.

That to provide against the contingency of failure in the supply of ammunition from England, a contract'for a period of years should bo entered into with the Colonial Ammunibion Company.

That all batteries of field artillery kept up by tbe Government shall be properly armed and equipped. That ib is absolutely essential to- the proper efficiency of the Nevzs-Zealandforcea that bhere should be an officer to be commander of the forces, responsible for discipline and efficiency of the force, as provided in bho Defence Act, 18S4-1886. wibh properly-defined duties, luoctiops, and powers. Thab the Defence Act should be amended by abolishing tbe system of elecbing officers by members of corps, by giving power to impose tinea, and by constituting courts of inquiry iubo charge* against officers or men.

Thab only ono sbyle of dre9B should be bhe recognised uniform for navaParbillery, to be the same as ab presenb excepb bhat full drees uniform be done away wibh. The uniform for mounted corps and mounted officers of obher branches shall be blue helmit, field cap ; jackeb, Norfolk patbern, blue with red facings ; dark brown cord breeches, scarleb welb leggings, and laced ankle booba. with brown loather belts. Tho uniformi of obher corps shall be bine helmet, field cap; jackeb, Norfolk pabbern, blue wibh red facings; zouave trousers, blue with scarlet stripe on welb, brown gaiters, laced ankle boots and brown

leather belts,

Thab the milifcia and volunteer disbriebs be re-defined; and a reserve corps created at each cenbre.

That bhe Naval Arbillery outside the centres should be modified, and bhab after the expirabion of three years they should be clothed in the general uniform of the Volunteer Rifles, and be looked upon as Rifle Corps from bhis time. ,-

That the bwo-tbirde system of counting parades towards capitation should bo amended by substitution of a system under which three • fourths of the minimum strength musb qualify. Badges will be issued to the four most efficienb men of each corps, each badge carrying a personal paymenb of £1, and three consecutive badges to qualify for a distinguishing badge, and a further sum of £1.

That all corps should be allowod to do training annually in camps of inabruction, with an allowance of Is 6d per man per diem. Naval artillery corps ab Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin and Porb Chalmers to go into camp for a fortnighb each year, other corps for six da. 8. Thab bhe allowance of 6mall arms ammunition should be increased from 100 to 150 rounds per man per annum. That Field ArtilleryCorpsshouldnoldnger have issued to them either rifles or small arms ammunition, but should be drilled and equipped, and trained entirely within bhe limibs of bheir own arms, and that Naval Arbillery Corps and Garrison Arbillery should only be required bo pass through bhe course laid down for Garrison Artillery of Imperial service. Thab only bands ab centres should be recognised as Garrison Bands, bheir strength to be one bandmaster and 25 men, who musb be enrolled volunteers and in uniform. An annual allowance of £25 per band. Bundsmen will be entibled to capitation, provided they aro efficiont musicians, have attended the required parades, and have served Bix months, all bandsmen may be required to undergo an annual course of instruction in ambulance drill. Bands to be under orders of tho disbricb commanding officer, and thoir financial and general aflairs to be ma:_agod by a committee, of which bhe officer commanding bbc district shall be president. Thab bhe New Zealand Rifle Association does not eivo any practical assistance to volunteering, and is subversive of discipline, and the Conference recommends that the grant by tho Department to this Association be discontinued, and the expenditure co saved be divided into shooting prizas for volunteers in the various districts.

The Conference also recommends the discontinuance of all grants to rifle clubs. That the volunteer year should end on the last day of February in each year.

The Conference, in knowledge thab tho presenb regulations are frequently dia

regarded and relaxed, beg, strongly to recommend bhab if bhe Governmenb adopt the regulations now'submitted, chey shall.be rigidly adhered to and enforced, and bhab, to insure absolube uniformiby, no exception shall be made, and that all concerned shall be duly notified of this recommendation. The number of Governmenb parades in any one year is not to exceed thirty, including bhe Queen's Birthday, bub exclusive of thos6 held ab bhe Easter encampment. The minimum strength of all branchee of the services ab each of the lour centres to be as follows :—Mounted corps, 63 strong ; three naval artillery.corps, 312 sbrong ; one field arbillery, 63 ebrong; one engineer corps, 63 sbrong; four rifles corps, 252 strong ; one garrison band, 26 sbrong -. tobal ab each cenbre 779, or a gross tobal of 3,116. The amendments proposed in the volunteer regulations and musketry regulations are nob embodied in the report.