COLONIAL DEFENCES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12161, 27 March 1900, Page 2

COLONIAL DEFENCES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Frequently of late Mr Seddon has asserted that the defences of the colony are in a good condition. If he means New Zealand, I beg to state that they are not, as regards equipment, armament and the training of the forces in field work. The small-bore rifle with which our forces are being armed has been taken away from our contingents at the Cape and the Lee-Met-ford substituted, which shows that we are not up-to-date in the matter of small arms. In this district the volunteers, excepting a few good shots, get no rifle practice owing to there being insufficient target accommodation on the half days available at the Bromley range, which, by the way, was equipped by the efforts of the volunteers themselves, otherwise they would have got no shooting at all. Elsewhere public money has been spent in hundreds of pounds on rifle ranges, and even orderly rooms. Our field guns are slow-firing, and are not accurate at the range of a modern rifle, which means that the gunners would be picked off by an enemy they could not reach. There is no proper harness or means of carrying reserve ammunition into action. Mounted rifles and infantry have instructors, but receive no training in the construction of field works, entrenchments, en-, tanglements and obstacles. Field artillery have neither, and generally appear to be in a bad way, as 'they complain that they do not receive sufficient capitation to turn out properly clothed and mounted. In reference to the 'proposal to clothe the forces in kharki, a more sensible idea would be to provide the men with service great-coats, and put the kharki in store in stock sizes until it is wanted. Kharki is all very well for the veldt, but a dark uniform is preferable against the prevailing background here. Our garrison artillery is next to useless because the guns are obsolete, and as far as Lyttelton is concerned there are not sufficient men to man all the stations, and it would be advisable, in the event of attack, to withdraw the garrison to assist the infantry. In conclusion, I would like to add that if the Government wishes >to do the thing properly it should reorganise the New Zealand War Office, economise by dispensing with highly-paid middlewicks and horse marines who act as a brake on anything progressive, procure tip-to-date rifles, field guns and artificers for the care of modern arms, treat each district fairly,' and not waste money. Quite recently I noticed that the Auckland volunteers were representing, through a member of the House of Representatives in their district, that they would go into camp for a week at Easter if paid. I think I am right in .saying that if employers sanctioned the leave necessary, Canterbury volunteers would go into camp for any length of time without payment, and the money could be better utilised in procuring arms or equipment. —I am, etc., CITIZEN.