THE COLONY'S DEFENCE FORCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1898, Page 5

THE COLONY'S DEFENCE FORCE.

, | COMMANDANT'S ANNUAL REPOR' ? j WHAT IS BEING DONE. ! i WELLINGTON, October 11.----f | The report of Colonel Pole-Pento i '■ on the defence forces, presented tc ... | day, is a most comprehensive on< 2 !He points out that the j-ear has bee: t j one of progress. SYNOPSIS. . The various changes made are tha definite organisation for the forces i ,to be laid down; an Imperial Office \ from the Royal Artillery and an en , j Imperial Officer from the Royal Engineers *neers have been engaged, and tw extra artillery instructors; a Defenc Committee has been set up and a de fence scheme, for the colony is well i. hand. Various appliances have beei - ordered to meet the requirements am 5 an allowance of half-a-erown as per - sonal payment sanctioned for six day - light parades in the year. Sums hay - been placed on the Estimates for th J engagement- ol an adjutant- to assis f officers commanding- the districts, am - of infantry instructors dealing witl i the different departments. » The commandant states that an offi ! cer has been engaged to take chargi of the artillery defence at Auckland and two cadets were- sent home fo: , training. L He recommends increase in the ar tillery branch of Permanent Force anc ,an increase of pay to tradesmen sttcl as eleqtricians, attached to vol un tee: ' companies; and also the erection o: married quarters in centres, as th. practice of living out of barrack; militates against discipline. He urge: that a reserve to the Permanent Fore* be provided and that the length o. service should be fixed. A gymnastic instructor has beer engaged at Wellington, and Colone Penton hopes to have small gyrnnasi* attached to all stations in order tha . recruits may be made to undergo . : course of physical training. Under the new organisation of the volunteers capitation may be drawr for seven thousand men, to be includec in seventeen mounted corps, fi-ve fielc batteries, eleven corps of naval oi garrison artillery, two engineer corps ten battalions of infantry (three oi I which are in course of formation) three cycle corps (and one corps to be formed), and two ambulance corps (and two corps to be formed). The mounted corps have been supplied with rifles in lieu of carbines. This arm of the service the Commandant'regards as the most valuable and thinks it would be desirable to increase camp allowances so as to get men together for pratice oftener. He is testing the scheme of annual company camps in Otago, and if successful will extend it all over the colony. In respect to field batteries he reports that there is one in each centre now. A modern battery of 15 pr. B.L. guns, with wagons and harness, has been ordered from England, and a similar one is to be ordered each year till all four ports are supplied. These will, however, require effective manning and horsing. The musketry course has been altered to compel men to earn capitation on efficiency as field artillerymen. In connection with the naval and garrison artillery the amendment of the Defence Act is urged in order to enable the enrolment of submarine mining corps, of-which there are now two in existence, but misnamed. He asks also that good boat's should be provided as soon as possible, as under the present conditions the men receive insufficient instruction. In the infantry department a great revival took place during the year. He explains that the new system obtains by which all corps in each district arc organised into battalions. 'This? he says, 'is easy in centres but difficult in the country? and therefore he desires that the railways should be more freely used. It would not mean any actual cost to the State —only the transfer of money from the Defence to the Railway Department.' If the daylight parades authorised are successful he will recommend their increase to twelve next year. The great weakness of the volunteer force he considers is the inefficiency of the officering. He condemns the elections of officers by the men and desires more earnestness and attention to the practical work by the noncommissioned officers. Orders have been issued that instruction classes should be held and these should have a good result. Provision has been made for an engineer, a cycle, and an ambulance corps in each centre, and it is to be hoped there will be soon in existence an organisation of the medical branch in connection with which orders for appliances have been sent to England. Everywhere necessity for longer time in camp and greater opportunity ' for practical work in all departireuts j is insisted on. The suggestion of the : Education Department to give military training to boys in primary schools is warmly commended. Dealing with the rilie corps Col. Pole Per.ton states that the Rifle Association Meeting at Oamaru was a failure from the defence point of view. He dees not favour any encouragement being given by the Government tc rifle clubs, except, in the direction of forming them into a. reserve for the volunteer force. The want of uniformity in dress is strongly condemned, and a suggestion made that capitation be reduced and uniforms supplied by .he Government. The oiicers commanding the districts should, in the commandant's .pinion, have the assistance of a paiii adjutant, and should also have increased pay. The Commandant reports the arrival of the first instalment of new ritles, but is not satisfied with the nature of the weapon supplied. He thinks it desirable to have the most modern weapons. He also reports the receipt of two sets of velocity instruments, and the arrival of an officer trained to test ammunition. He recommends that immediate attention be given to the unsafe condi- j tion of rifle ranges, and that the issue ol N.Z. war medals and decorations be stopped and steps taken to safe-guard the bestowal of the N.Z. Cross; and in conclusion he explains that there is great necessity for organisation of the Central Defence Department and definition of the duties of the commandant of forces ■ and Under Secretary for Defence. ' MOUNTED CORPS. Referring tc the Mounted Corps of the ■ colony, the Commandant says: T much regret that owing to the men composing these corps being mostly farmers and Avorking on farms and runs they cannot be got together oftener for drill and inspection. I have, seen all the . mounted corps in the colony, and consider that with, proper training they would form

jl as useful a body of troop:; as anj one" would wish to command. The J men are intelligent, hardy, used tc ; an outdoor life, and to being con- , stantly in the saddle. As a rule they j own" the horses they ride, on parad . j which, taken all round, are a usefu. and handy lot of animals. At. present they provide their own horses same amount of capitation as is given and. accoutrements, and receive the to all arms, viz., £2/10 a year. At the Easter Camps the Mounted Corps get an allowance of 1/6 a-day for feeding their horses; but for their own company camps they get -no horse allowance, and have no extra alloAvances to those made to an in- ] fantry corps, viz.: 1/6 a-day for six I days training; thus practically makI ing a mounted man pay for the keep of his horse while in camp.'