INDIGNANT VOLUNTEERS.

Evening Star, Issue 11673, 4 February 1902, Page 5

INDIGNANT VOLUNTEERS.

[Per Ventura at Auckland.] LONDON, January 11. The British War Office has been confronted with a most serious condition, of affairs in its calls for volunteers to relieve the regiments at the front. So far there ha* absolutely been no response, which has served to intensify the widespread indignation existing amongst all volunteer regiments. In the first place volunteers answering the calls wonld only receive a shilling a day, while the Yeomanry, in which many Volunteers have already enlisted, receive five shillings. The only solution of the deadlock appears to be for the War Office to introduce conscription, or withdraw the new regulations. These have stirred up strife, which has not existed io. many years, between the Government 'officials and the voluntary arm of the service. According to high officials, the nen regulations will bankrupt the majority ot the regiments. These rules command that every regiment must go into camp one week in each year. The Government grant has been reduced in proportion to the number of absentees in each company. _ The volunteers’ commanders say that it is impossio.e to get more than 40 per cent, together in the same week, so different are the occupations of the men. In addition, the vVar Office refuses to recognise drills which are not attended bv a percentage of the men, which hitherto it has been found quite im possible to attain, there being no drill hah nor ground in London large enough to en able the battalions to manoeuvre. Among those who condemn the new regulations is Colonel Balfour, brother of the Eight Hon A. J. Balfour,, who commands the London Scottish. The matter will be brought under the attention of Parliament. If the order of the Secretary of War (Mr Brodrick) not attended to, the volunteer force, so the colonel of one of the strongest London regiments says, will dwindle to nothing. Meantime the War Office is waiting anxious!/ for an answer to the call for troops for service in South Africa.