DEFENCE FORCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 258, 6 November 1897, Page 3

DEFENCE FORCES.

COLONEL POLE PENTON'S REPORT.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

Reviewing the drill given to the volunteers, Colonel Pole-Pen ton in the report presented io Parliament says no troops can be really efficient or in proper fighting condition unless they got a great deal more field training than the volunteers do at present. He thinks employers do not give sufficient encouragement to the men to attend afternoon drills, and says they ought to regard the men doing volunteer duty as an insurance against employers themselves being called upon to perform military service, but he thinks the spirit of the men excellent, and with more encouragement from the Government they would make themselves thoroughly efficient., He recommends some remuneration being f ranted to encourage afternoon drills in the onn of extra capitation for drills attended in excess of those required by the regulation, say one a month, drills be held in the field, not in a drill shed.

So far as he can judge he thinks the volunteer officers are not as efficient in work as they ought to be, owing to the lack of a sufficient number of instructors in the country, and those already here being useless and past their work. He recommends that three infantry officers be got from the Imperial forces possessing certificates from the School of Musketry who have passed the mounted infantry course at Aldershot. Referring to complaints of defective ammunition, he says the Colonial Ammunition Company do not work up to as severe a specification as at Home. Recent reports of tests made show that the inferiority of ammunition is due to irregularities in manufacture. He expects he will shortly receive a further report after chemical analysis of the materials of the cartridges. Instruction is being given in the use and velocity of instruments. He recommends that an officer of the permanent force be sent to England for instruction in the examination and proof of warlike stores under the Chief Inspector at Woolwich. He'urges the necessity of possessing reliable ammunition, as an emergency might unexpectedly arise. It would be advisable in future for the Company to supply their own powder to obviate divided responsibility for the quality of the supply. He regrets the decision arrived at as to uniforms, and recommends that the kharkee be adopted as the service colour for uniforms of mounted troops, the cut and pattern to correspond with that issued to the troops sent to England for the Imperial celebrations, the different battalions adopting distinctive badges and facings, each arm service having a distinctive badge. He condemns the field service cap, but recommends many alterations in details.

At present there are 39 cadet corps in the colony with a total strength of 2,138. He considers the expense of their training should be borne by the Education not the Military Department. He strongly recommends the establishment of a school of instruction at Wellington, each corps sending a few men yearly. He recommends also for this year confined company camps at centres, country corps being invited to any evolution and remaining in camp four whole days to receive 2s 6d per day. On stratagetical grounds efforts should be made to complete railway communication between Auckland and Wellington and between the east and west coasts of the South Island. He thinks the Defence Act requires amendment—giving authority to the representative of the colony in England to enter into an agreement as authorised by the Government with officers and non-commissioned officers of the Imperial force for employment in the colony. The powers and duties of the commander of the forces should be defined. Authority should be given to officers commanding districts to order commanding officers of corps to inflict fines for any offence against discipline. Appointments Officers in volunteeis should be made by the military authorities instead of by the men. Lists should be prepared of all persons liable to serve in the militia. While much encouragement is given to good shots, more instructions should be given to shoot under conditions as .nearly as. possible similar to those in active service, and the general efficiency of the whole and not a few crackshots fostered.

Many of the rifle ranges are confined and and unsuitable. The Government should give every assistance to obtaining suitable ones.

If Government assistance to the New Zealand Rifle Association be continued, the meetings should be carried out under the supervision of the military authorities, prizes given for field firing. There being no arrangement for transport or commissariat, it is recommended that at each centre arrangements be made with one of the carrying companies to provide pack horses, etc., and that contracts be made for the supply of provisions if needed. Concerning the volunteers Colonel Penton observes : The force consists of eighty six corps, comprising 5,121 officers, non commissioned officers, and men, made up as follows : Three cavalry, 172 men ; nine mounted rifle, 518 : fifteen naval artillery corps, 1,004; one garrison artillery corps, 63; nine field artillery corps, 512; two Engineer corps, 13S ; forty-six rifle corps, 2,667 ; one honorary corps 47. Of these, two corps, the mounted rifles and two corps of rifles, are disbanding. One corps navals and two fiesd batteries are being turned into rifles. Dunedin is said not to be suitable for cavalry, and the cavalry corps there will be most useful as mounted infantry. Orders have already been issued to arm them with the Martini-Henry rifle. In the defence of Auckland it is essential there should be a strong force of mounted infantry available, and the hope is expressed that an additional corps will be raised on Colonel Penton's recommendation. Orders have been issued to withdraw carbines and issue Martini-Henry rifles to all mounted corps. Their use in war will be that of a body of infantry soldiers capable of being transferred rapidly from one position to another, to act as infantry and not as cavalry. Of the thirteen corps of naval artillery those at Thames, Napier, Wanganui, Bluff, Invercargill and Westport cannot get instructions in artillery or submarine mining work, and have been warned that they will have to provide themselves with new uniform and turn into rifle companies at the end of the year. Of nine new batteries two have already been turned into infantry corps, and it is urged that the batteries at Napier and Invercargill should also be converted into rifle corps. This would leave the colony five field batteries, one at each centre and one in Nelson district. It is strongly urged that four field batteries complete, with waggons, harness, and full equipment, be ordered at once from Home. They should be similar in every respect to the guns now being supplied to the Royal Artillery. One battery should be kept in each centre, manned if possible by permanent men, horses to be kept by the State. As to infantry corps, it is suggested that each of the four big districts should have too battalions of eight companies each. Each battalion should have its own commanding officers and adjutant, who would visit outlying companies as often as possible, thus tending to the greater efficiency of the volunteer force. It is recommended that no. new corps should be formed in isolated stations or in stations which are not closely connected by

rail with those in which corps already exist.