OUR DEFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)

OUR DEFENCES.

COLONEL HUME'S REPORT. Colonel Hume's annual report on the New Zealand forces was presented to Parliament on August 4. He states that the conduct of the men has been on the whole good, that instructors and officers have been efficient, that equipments are in excellent order, and that while economy has been carefully studied in harbour defence works, these works have made satisfactory progress. Two deaths, 11 resignations, and 11 discharges occurred in the Permanent Militia during the year. The active strength of the volunteer force is 6582 of all ranks as against 6700 last year. Five thousand three hundred and seventy-six earned capitation as against 4939 in the previous year. The system of recruiting from volunteers answers well, and there is no abatement in the number of applicants. Colonel Hume says that the fallacies of those sceptics who assort that the volunteer movement is dying out, and that the volunteers are disheartened and dispirited with their treatment, and by the absence of encouragement, are completely upset by the substantial increaso of 437 efficients for the year. No reliance can be placed on the strength shown on paper, but the earning of capitation is a definite and conclusive test. Cavalry number 359 sabres, mounted rifles 478. All are drilled in infantry and cavalry are well-mounted and good horsemen. The naval artillery consist of 17 batteries, 1155 mon, and are visibly improving year by year. One hundred and seven were passed as efficient, as against 48 the previous year. The Artillery number 12 batteries, 633 men; Engineers, 3 companies; and rifles, 65 corps, 3751 men. A number of town corps exhibit defective physique, but good shooting is general. Colonel Hume suggests that a volunteer holiday for drill should be made statutory. So as to facilitate attendance at drill he thinks that capitation should be allotted at the rate of so much per parade, and that attendance of onehalf, instead of two-thirds, should be made the condition of capitation being earned. Mr. Arthur Ball, C.E., Engineer for Defence, reports a steady decrease in appropriations for harbour expenditure, the respective amounts for last seven years being as follow: £200,000, £142,500, 1180,000, £56,541, £16,452, £13,000, £6, 00. and the outstanding liabilities at 31st March last were £1727. The total expenditure of harbour defence to that date was £478,000, of which half represents the cost of material imported from England and the balance the cost of the work of the colony.

At the invitation of Mr. Seddon, the Minister for Defence, Lady Glasgow, Miss Hallovves, Hon. Mr. Boyle, Mr. Clayton (from Government House), and a number of members and their wives paid a visit to the Wellington forts near the Heads and the torpedo station at Shelly Bay on August 6. Among the party were Mrs. Ballance, Mr. W. P. Reeves, Mrs. Ward, Hons. Seddon and Ward, Lieutenant-Colonel Nowall (officer commanding the district), and Lieutenant Colonel Hume. The arrangements were carried out under the directions of Lieu-tenant-Colonel Fox, and the party were conveyed across the harbour in the Government launch. The party took up a position on the hill behind fore Ballance, which was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Fox, and were thus enabled to view the firing from both forts, the buttery on Point Kan being also engaged in firing under the supervision of Major Messenger The two batteries fired alternately, and some capital shots were registered. The eight and six-inch disappeaiirig guns and the Nordenfeldt gun were fired several times at a very small target in the middle of the entrance, the two former being charged with Shrapnel shell for the last shot. Lieut.-Colonel Fox expressed himself very well satisfied with the firing. At Shelly Bay Captain Falconer (Torpedo Corps) had everything in readiness for the submarine explosions, which were the most interesting portion of the day's proceeding. A largo whaleboat, rigged as a brigantine, was moored across a line of four mines inside the bay. The Countess of Glasgow (who was on shore) connected the battery, and an immense volume of water rose to a great height, but the boat was not completely shattered, she having been towed broadside on to the mines instead of over them. A contact mine was also fired, this time with complete success. The weather was fine and the water as smooth as could be desired.