THE VOLUNTEERS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7267, 20 July 1893, Page 2

THE VOLUNTEERS.

The following era a few further extracts from Colonel fox’s report on the New Zealand Volunteer force: CADET CORPS.

There are thirty-nine cadet corps in the colony, numbering, in all, 2,153 oadets. There appears to be no system in the management of guidance of these corps. Some have carbines, others have not; some have uniforms, others have not. And, again, there are others which have perhaps a dozen sets of uniform—sufficient to allow a few of their members to journey by train in uniform from one place to another on a free ticket, as volunteers in uniform, for the purpose of ride-shooting. Cadet corps composed of boys of the age and size of those at the Wanganui, Nelson, Christchurch, and Dunedin High Schools are in every way fitted to be given carbines and allowed to shoot in recompense for learning their drill and giving up play-hours for that purpose. But on the other band, it is nonsense giving boys who learn no drill, who have no uniform, and who are only thirteen years old, an allowance of twenty-five rounds of ammunition yearly. It is also absurd to give an annual money-grant of perhaps £2O per annum to such corps. The corps should be divided into two classes—Claes I. should be properly instructed in drill, and should receive a grant of £2O per annum, as at present, on the district commanding officer’s certificate of efficiency, and ehonli get the allowance of twenty-five rounds per cadet. Class 11. should be taught physical and squad drill, should have only ten Snider artillery carbines and 600 rounds of ammunition per annum per corps. No grant is necessary in tbs case of these corps. No uniform need be kept up. Is is manifestly to the advantage of the colony and of the boys themselves that they should be taught drill to a certain extent, and I put it forward for consideration as to whether it would be possible to make the masters of the various local schools qualify as instructors in physical and equad drill.

EIFLH CLUBS. There are two kinds of rifle clubs—oce fbrmed of volunteer corps which have been disbanded, the other formed of civilians. To the former, numbering 10, the Government supply Snider rifles and 100 rounds of ammunition per member per annum. It would seem to have been the intention to have permitted the men who were originally in the disbanded corps to retain their rifles and to receive a grint of ammunition yearly, in compensation for the disbandment. This intention has been lost sight of, and the clubs are at present largely composed of civilians and paper men, for whom the rounds are drawn, but who never fire a rifle. The Government supports these clubs by giving a free grant of 50,000 rounds to the Kifle Association, carries the members to the meeting of the association, and provides tents for them while at the meeting. The weapon used at the association meeting is the Martini" Henry, either bought by the members through the Government or privately, the Government weapon, the Snider rifle, being looked upon as absolutely unreliable. Unde? the circumstances, I do not propose interfering; but when the forces are armed with tho Martioi-Henry rifle, I consider that the Government should insist on the Government weapon being alone used, so that the volunteers and civilians should be brought on to the same footing. It would be manifestly unfair to their own men for the Defence Department to grant ammunition, eto., to the association, and allow a civilian member of a private rifle-club to use a superior weapon, fitted with different sights, in the competition for the championship. EIFLI-EANGEB. The rifle-ranges in the colony are generally in good order, but I regret to have to report that those belonging to Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin —three out of the foa? chief towns in New Zealand—are less satisfactory than elsewhere. When I first visited Auckland I found the range there in a most unsafe state. It, has been altered very considerably, bat lies in a bad position, the back of the range being the very .much-frequented resort of Mount Eden. I could find no bthe? range available in the vicinity. __ In Wellington the range is bounded on one side by a narrow strip of reserve, the.aotual firing-line being within a few feet of the reserve boundary, and the back of the reserve is private property. Houses are springing up in the immediate vicinity, and it appears certain that before long the range will have to be shut up, A good range oaa be found' near Wellington. The present range, which is Defence Department property, is becoming more and more valuable, so that when a change is necessary the range can be sold and the money spent in rendering a range in Evans Bay fairly accessible. In Dunedin the range is at present only 500 yards in length. It is safe, but there is practically no access to tho range. When I first tried to inspect the range I could not get there. It was absolutely unapproachable, having been cut off by a high wooden paling bounding the cemetery. On representation, two holes have been made in the fence, through whioh the men can creep, but at any time this privilege may be rescinded. 1 was given to understand by one of the trustees who at present represent the owners of the range that the trust would 'shortly expire. I went over some Government ground near Lawyer’s Head on which a good range could be made. lam strongly of opinion that this work should be undertaken.

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS. The protection of the landing of the cable connecting New Zealand with Australia is a matter requiring serious consideration, to which due weight should be given. lam of opinion that the cable should ho landed! within the protection of the guns in Wellington Harbour, and this could be easily done without interfering with the mine-field. Communication between Auckland and Wellington may be considered fairly safe : a small secondary line to duplicate one exposed point would be required, Communioatioa with the South Island is by cable ; from its landing to Christchurch the line lies in a safe, position ; thence to Timaru the line is safe, but between that and Camara there is nothing to prevent a boat’s crew from landing and cutting the wires. A duplicate line, should turn inland from about Sangitata to Palmerston, to oonneot there with the Naseby line, or e’se run direct to Naseby and thence to Dunedin. (To be Oontinned )