OUR DEFENCE FORCES

Evening Star, Issue 12603, 7 September 1905, Page 8

OUR DEFENCE FORCES

THE DEPARTMENTAL REPORT. [From Our Faui.iamkktarx Buuuxbr.] WELLINGTON, September t The annual Report of Major-general Babington. Commandant of the New -Zealand Defence Forces, wae laid on the table of the House yesterday by the Defence Minister, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon. • In regard to ( —Coast Defences—

the report .says that though important recommendations have been submitted, no decision has been received by him, .and it is urgently required, as such ports which it is decided upon to defend should be made secure. Those -.works which were in progress last year -have made little advance, hot the Commandant says that po change in this respect can be expected while only prison labor is employed. As to the

—Permanent Force, — the Commandant says its present state is capable of improvement, and he has Submitted proposals for its reorganisation, these comprising such subjects as pay, extra duty, promotion, etc. 'The conditions of a trust fund to secure men a bonus on retirement are outlined in the scheme. The discipline

of the force, says the Commandant, suffers from lie centralisation which exists. The efficiency of the force has been affected by a number of men leaving, tempted by the better pay and prospects of the tramway service. Too many men are extra regimentally employed, and as they are not in many cases available for regimental duty, they should, says the Commandant, be made supernumeraries to the establishmeat. There axq also a number who should be retired as too old. Reference is made to —Accident at Fort Baßance — on 2nd November, 1904. The report states that no reply has yet been received from England, where the proceedings of tie local Court of Inquiry were sent, together with the gun and amonition that was being used. —Volunteers. — On July 1 tine total strength, oo the noil, 18,852, showed an increase of 89 over the strength on July 1, 1904. The figures wore made up as foCowa: —Summary (officers and men) : Riv batteries of field artillery, 436; nine companies of garrison artillery, 876; six ccmpanioe of engineers, 443; fourteen battalions of mounted rifles (in all 73 companies), ' 4,150; sixteen battalions of infantry (in all 123 companies), 5,705; five field hospital and bearer companies, IS3; fifty-seven defence cadet corps, 3,006; 107 defence rifle clubs, 2,919; five garrison bands, 134; total, 18,852. The following are the figures lor Otago (officers and men) : One battery of fio,d artillery, 67; two companies garrison, artillery, 233; one company engineers, 79; two battalions mounted rules (in all thirteen companies), 839; four battalions inftmtiy (in all thirty-four companies), 1,883; one field hospital and bearer company, 43; fifteen defence cadet comwnies, 934; fqurteen defence rifle dubs, 329; one garrison band, 27; total, 4,439. There are AOB I cadets now serving, or 194 more-than last year. —General.-

As regards the mounted troops, cnlyope district is unsatisfactory. The men are tardy mounted, but the saddlery is often unoerviceable. The Commandant recommends that the field artillery volunteers bo allowed six horses per battery and more ammunition, to improve the shootings The garrison artillery volunteers are classed as efficient, but reference is made to two senons mistakes by individuals firing at a tag boat in Dunedin and opening the bread! just after a misfire at Wellington. A TOvied drill book is shortly to be issued. The field engineers are also classed as efficient, except in one centre, the weakness generally being in the electrical seoTurning to infantry, the Commandant says the first battalion Otago Rifle Volunteers has been formed into two battalions, as it was found that the ten companies comprising it formed too large a command. The state of the infantry is very fairly satisfactory, but more work in die field is required. The School of Instruction.— During the year 1904-05 231 ouwMatss received instruction at the school, and of these 168 completed the full course. Of the foregoing, 208 officers and 56 N.C.0.8 were examined by the Central Board during the year ended February, 1904. Of these. 172 officers and 44 N.C.O.s passed, and 36 officers and IS N. C. O.e failed. The attendance at Easter camps ts regarded as unsatisfactory. —RecoCTinendattkro®. — In copcUgTOn, the Coimnandagrteayrc *Aa I have frequently pointed out, the present Defence Force of the colony is not an organised fighting fogee. The force maintained should be composed of corps, the localities of which are such that they can be more readily concentrated for training than is at present the case. A trained staff for headquarters and each dstncfc is an absolute necessity. Without ft staff the most transcendent genius cannot command trots successfully in the field, nor can they be trained in times of peace. An advance has been made in this very important matter. and it is hoped that shortly volunteer officers will be found to take up the appointments that Lave now been aproved. The difficulty is to find suitable officers who can spare the time. The term of service should be reduced to one year. The majority of the men worth wow*d oontinao to ssrve beyond! this. That of the financial branch which fields with direct disbursements to the defence should fas in the Imperial service) be under the Commandant. An Ordnance Department, under the Commandant, should be formed out of the staff now in hand. Fixed rates of pay for the paid officer* of the Defence Force should be laid down, and the increments that are obtainable should also be defined. In many cases, too, at present the pay of officer* is insufficient, and out of proportion to that received! ty some who are their juniors in rank. The extreme centralisation now existing is detrimental to efficiency. It destroys initiative, weakens authority, and causes most mjrmocs demy. No business or institution, civil or mffitnry, can be expected to flourish under such a svstem. The material available m_ New Zealand is excellent, and I am satisfied mat officers and men are most anxious that the force should become an efficient one. The election of company officers, though still con tinned, is condemned.