Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

DEFENCE FORCES.

)t ONEL POLE PENTON'S REPORT.

telegraph. -Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day. The report of Colonel-Pole Penton on Defence Forces was presented to the ftethis afternoon. He finds that the frial of which the forces are composed 0,, the whole excellent, and there f° reason why, with proper organP *."_ a nd encouragement troops "f Id :not become efficient and rfble As regards the Permanent jjj ces it is pointed out that there are not Lieut officers to keep up a proper spirit j jjgcipline among the men. • For the hole force there are only three for the tillery, and two for the torpedo corps. Cc of the artillery officers have received L thorough training in artillery work, H it is greatly to their credit that the ,n &re trained 'as well as they are. Colonel Penton holds it is imperative ■hi'the number of oflieers should be in- ! eased as soon as possible, and that f pi-rial officers should be obtained from Sand. The system at present in force f tiiking cadets from the civil list is conIt is recommended that three artillery facers he got out from Home at once on a three years' engagement, and that notice Aoild be given that a special examination «1_ be held for five military cadetships, the e ji_iina_iontobe as far as possible, similar to ttait for entrance to Sandhurst, cadets on ioitiing to be put through a course if l instruction at the depot at Weljjßoton, to last one year, and after Itet to he sent home and attached for five years to the Royal Artillery and (so years to the Royal Engineers (two of tie cadets at present in the force being included in this part of the arrangement for one year). At the end of that time jw would return to the colony, and be jjdy to take their places as Royal Artillery officers on the expiration of their [fl-agements. The importation of a Royal Engineer officer at a good salary as staff officer for -..marine mining and fortifications is ilso advocated. On the question of discipline, Colonel Penton expresses himself -strongly, nor io«3 he think the men take proper pride in themselves as soldiers should do. At lie root of the evil is the system of tearing plain clothes *. which is permitted on Sundays and in special ■ uses where they get permission to go outside towns. This latter privilege is much limed. The men take more pride in the style and ht of their plain clothes, and jnend more money on them than they do oi then uniforms. It is therefore recom.ended that plain clothes be not allowed unless under very special circumstances. Complaints are also made regarding the itJolation allowing every man to marry lith the consent of the commanding tleer. Of 250 men in the permanent force 104 are married. The presBee of a large proportion of married in a force does not tend to raise its military efficiency. The men think more of their own homes and families than of their duties to the state. A fixed establishment- should be laid down as to the umber of married men to be allowed.

The following rules are suggested:—(l) Sergeants and higher ranks to be alked to marry; (2) below this rank tea per cent, of the strength* of tie force ,to be borne on the named roll, the qualifications for married Kill to be: (1) Minimum live years' service, 11 very good character, (3} life insured at astforilOO.

It.is recommended that an additional ■tillery instructor be applied for at once. Ms would give one for the North Island, m to the South Island and one at the depotat Wellington, to perform in addition the work of Master-Gunner.

Tie system of letting the men go from tie permanent force to the police and then counting them as a reserve in case of Avar is considered as iallacious, unworkable, and permitting the men of tie permanent force, to be called onto do police duty on s.pecial occasions for days together is represented as detrimental to the disciplide of tbe force, and siould ke discontinued.

Colonel Penton considers there should be s sufficient number of gunners in the Perunit force to Avork all the breech loading {ins, range finding instruments, quick fringguns, communications, etc., at each if the four ports. There should also tea sufficient number of men to effidently supervise laying out and to Wrk all the mine fields provided for fence. To carry out this proposal to establishment of non-commissioned fcrs and men would be required of the lowing strength : —Wellington, 159; Anckland, 126; Lyttelton, 77 ; Dunedin, «. total, 421. The strength of No. 2 Company is set down at 96.

ltis recommended that the corps in each • the four centres be strengthened and'be "><■ headquarters of the battalion formed of wmpanies located, with a given distance, we force in each of the four districts to "Jmprise navals to man guns and nine fields with the assistance ofthe Permanent ■*°ree,four companies of Mounted Rilies, * town battalion of rides, one •""try battalion of rifles, one field •toy, one company of engineers, Won ambulance corps. He does not •"•Wider the corps should be encouraged to ™ist men Avho live more than five miles »om headquarters.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18971105.2.38

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 257, 5 November 1897, Page 5

Word Count
873

DEFENCE FORCES. Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 257, 5 November 1897, Page 5

DEFENCE FORCES. Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 257, 5 November 1897, Page 5