VOLUNTEERS AND THE WAR OFFICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 31

VOLUNTEERS AND THE WAR OFFICE.

A SERIOUS IMPASSE. THE CALL TO ARMS. LONDON, January 11. Tho British War Office has been confronted with a most serious condition of affairs in its calls for volunteers to relieve the regiments at Ihe^front. So far there ha? absolutely been no response, which has served to intensify the widespread indignation existing amongst all volunteer regimentH. In the first place volunteers answering the call* would only receive a shilling a day, while the Yeomanry, in which many \olunteers have already enlisted, receive 5s The only solution of the deadlock appears to be for tlie War Office to introduce con-M-ription, or withdraw tiie new regulations. Thcso ha\i> stirred up strife, which hao not p\i->tec\ for many years, between the Govprnmrnt offi< laltf and the voluntary arm o{ the se?r\ icp. According to high officials, the now regulations will bankrupt the majority of the regiments. The.it> mles command that p\ ory regiment nitibt go into r-amp one week in each year. The Government grant ha-< bpfii rPtluood in proportion to the number of absentees in o:\ch company. The volunteer*' commander* say that it is impossible to get more than 40 per cent, together in the siimi 1 week, so different are the occupations of the men. In addition the War Office refuses to recognise drills which are not attended by a percentage of the mm, which hitherto it has bepn found quite impo-bibl© to attain, there being no drill hall oi ground in London lar^o enough to enable the battalions to msmoeuvrf. Among those who condemn the new regulations is Colonel Balfour. brother of the Rifjht Tlrui A J BalfcMir, who commands the London Scottish. The matter will be brought unflrr tho attention of Parliament. If the order of the- Secretary of War (Mr ■Rrotlrick) i- not attdiclpd to. the -lolnntecr force. «) the. trilom- 1 t.f one of the strongest London revnm-nt-, '.'>"■■ will dwindle to pothinw. Mr.mtnii" the War Office is waitnig an .ioiit-Ij fur an answer to the call foi troops fen «<tvicx- m South A flit a.

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