H.—24,
1874. NEW ZEALAND.
NEW ZEALAND VOLUNTEER FORCE, (REPORT BY MAJOR GORDON, OF INSPECTION OF).
Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.
No. 1. Major Gordon to the Under Secretary for Defence. Sir,— Auckland, sth August, 1874. Having received a Commission as Inspector of Volunteers for the past Volunteer year, I beg to report that early in December last I proceeded to Wellington, for the annual inspection of the various companies in that city; and as the result of such inspection, I had the honor to address to you my letter of the 10th of that month, which is annexed hereto. Wellington. In the Wellington District, the first corps which paraded was the Wellington Artillery Company j and in appearance, as regards uniformity of equipment, physique, &c, it is one which could scarcely be excelled ; but I found it very deficient in its knowledge of squad and company drill, though expert in the use of its ordnance. Its instructor was very defective in his knowledge of certain portions of the rudiments of his duty, owing perhaps to his having for too long a period of his Imperial service served in the tailors' shop of his battery. I explained to the corps that the description of knowledge of military duties required from an Artillery Company was very clearly defined in the form of efficiency certificate issued to each Volunteer who earned it, at the close of each Volunteer year, and that, in my opinion, the corps did not yet possess that knowledge. I advised the members on dismissal to look at the form of certificate I alluded to, when they would discover how simple were the reqirements exacted by our Regulations to qualify as efficients. The officer commanding the company subsequently stated that his corps had, before my inspection, no knowledge of the document called the " Efficiency Certificate," and that such a certificate had never been issued to his corps during tbe many years of its existence. I was not prepared to find, particularly in Wellington, that corps had been in the habit of receiving capitation without having earned the "efficiency certificate." The other corps of the city were pretty much in the same predicament and condition, and it was obvious that the occasions of monthly inspection, when the largest attendance is obtained, had been permitted to pass without any sound explanation or practice of drill having been imparted or adopted, and 1 very much fear that, at such parades, duties of mere ceremony were alone attended to. The permanent staff-sergeant was not so well acquainted with his duties as a Government instructor should be, notwithstanding the numerous gifts and testimonials he was permitted to receive en his removal to West Coast. A sub-district of Wellington is the Hutt District, commanded by Major Ludlam, with a paid Adjutant (Major Lockett), with only two companies of Volunteers —the Hutt and Wainuiomata Companies. The latter one I could not inspect, by reason of the impassable state of the road to its head-quarters after very wet weather. The former is a promising corps, but was unacquainted with what the Regulations imperatively require that every Volunteer should know, viz. a " knowledge of squad aud company drill." On inquiring why this corps had not been instructed in these points, Major Ludlam intimated that he only permitted it to be practised in such movements as he considered would be useful on service. How Major Ludlam, or any other officer, certified under their hands that the men of this company were efficient Volunteers, and possessed a knowledge of squad and company drill, and thereby obtained capitation for them, I cannot understand. This corps performed one or two movements in light drill with tolerable precision ; but I do not think that the experience of Major Ludlam, or any other officer, with respect to what manoeuvres would be useful on service, should be allowed to supersede what is expressly laid down as the course of drill in the Volunteer Regulations, and then to certify in writing that Volunteers know what they do not know. In the Masterton and Greytown Districts, as Staff, two Majors, Bunny and Smith, and a paid Adjutant, Captain Cleland. These majors, I assume, hold commissions in which certain duties are im--I—H. 24.
Appendix 1 in No.l.
H.—24
2
posed upon them by His Excellency the Governor, but neither of them ever appear on parade, so that I had no opportunity of forming an opinion as to their qualifications to hold commands. A glance at the annexed returns will show how attenuated is the strength of die corps under their charge, and with so few men drill is out of the question. The Masterton Rifles, however, passed creditably, as, in a lesser degree, did the Carterton Rifles. When I inquired from the members of the other small corps of these districts, why they had not transferred themselves to other larger companies, their reply was " that they were holding on to see what would turn up." I suspect that if there were a smaller number of majors, or no majors at all, in the Wellington, Masterton, and Greytown Districts, an improved state of-things would be brought about. These districts might very well be amalgamated, with a staff of 1 ccmmanding officer and 2 suitable drill-sergeants, instead of embracing, as at present, 1 lieutenant-co .onel, 4 majors, 1 captain, and 2 sergeants.* Otago. On inspecting this district, I found Volunteer matters in general in so unsatisfactory a state that I transmitted to the Government an interim report, which is hereto annexed. This interim report does not, however, treat of the corps which can honestly claim some pretensions to efficiency. That which I considered to be in the best condition was the Bruce Rifles at Tokomairiro, and its state is all the more creditable to its captain and officers.seeing that it does not itself of the services of any Government Instructor. The Dunedin City Guards I found also in good order, as well as its affiliated company of Cadets. The Dunedin Artillery Company showed a very small attendance, exclusive of its good band, but those present were expert in the use of their guns. The corps is well clothed, has a very superior band, and its funds exhibit a credit, inclusive of the va.ue of band instruments, of something like £500. Were it not for these circumstances, as well as from the fact that in its private rules it has one which operates unfavourably in the way of obtaining recruits, and which it had determined to rescind, with the consent of the Governor, I would have asked for a discontinuance of its services; and I would have been supported in the request by the captain of the company, who complained bitterly that his efforts to obtain a large and more regular attendance at parade had been unsuccessful. The Invercargill Artillery Company appeared to be a promising corps, and made a request to be supplied with more suitable guns than they at present possess. The Invercargill Rifles is also a promising corps, and the officers of these two companies desired that they (the two corps) should be placed under a captain commandant, as is permitted by the 17th clause of " The Volunteer Act, 1865." If these corps are still of the same mind, I w rould recommend that their request be acceded to. The Portobello Rifles is said by the Adjutant of the district to be an excellent corps, but I only saw a portion of it, owing to the steamer by which I proceeded to Portobello arriving one hour after its usual time. The Naval Companies of Dunedin and Port Chalmers are failures, and so also are the Cadet companies of the district, with the exception of the City Guards and Oamf.ru Corps. The remaining Cadet companies could not be produced for inspection. The greater number of corps in Otago scarcely approach mediocrity in knowledge of drill, and it can hardly be expected that they should, when it is considered that in the province there are thirtyseven companies, located over an area impossible of supervision, and some of them in quarters which are almost inaccessible. There is one, for instance, at Orepuki, which is twenty-eight miles distant from Riverton by a foot track, or thirty-three by horse track. Owing to this difficulty of access, and the circumstance that the company had only been in existence for two months, I did not visit Orepuki; nor did I visit the Queenstown (late Wakatipu) Company, distant from Dunedin five days' journey by coach, and I am persuaded that I would not have seen anything to justify the expense attaching to such a journey ; besides the corps had not been armed, nor had it ever been seen by any member of the local staff. The services of this corps had been accepted and gazetted without the intervention or recommendation of the Officer Commanding the district, who seemed to look upon it as hardly under his command, for he styled it " The Superintendent's Company," whatever that may mean. In my interim report on Otago, I have recommended that the commissions of Majors Bathgate, Jones, and Steward shall lapse or be cancelled, for not having fulfilled (or being unable to do so) the requirements of their commissions. On the resignation of Lieut.-Colonel Cargill, Major Bathgate assumed the command in Otago ; but on my recommendation he was superseded, by the Warrant of His Excsllency the Governor, in favour of Major Atkinson, the paid staff officer. Canterbury. In this district, the corps of which I can speak in commendatory terms are the Yeomanry Cavalry, the Christchurch Artillery, the No. 1 Engineers, and the City Guards. The No. 2 Engineers, at Heathcote, 29 strong on its roll, produced only two men, one of whom was very drunk. This corps will, I conclude, be disbanded. The Timaru Artillery Company was in a very unsatisfactory state. Only 11 of all ranks paraded, with 9 musicians ; and attached to it is a Cadet Company, numbering 21, but only 7 were present. The Lyttelton Artillery Company, though few in number, acquitted itself well, and asked to be supplied with heavy garrison guns (of which there are many in Auckland not in use), in lieu of fieldpieces, in order to place them in position as a standing battery on an escarpment on the heights overlooking the harbour. I would advise that their request be complied with, so that their 6-pounder Armstrong may be made available by some other corps. The other companies of this district are located in the country, and the Commanding Officer represented that it would be impossible to obtain a muster in January (the month of my visit), as every available man was engaged in harvesting. * For observations of the Officer Commanding the Wellington District on the above Report, see Appendix No. 2.
Appendix 2 in No.l.
3
H.—24,
Westland. Of the three companies in this district, two—the Ist Westland and Greymouth Rifles —are a fine body of men, and in excellent order ; but the Totara Company, at Ross, were quite astray at drill of any sort, and there were 35 of their number absent. I think it will be found to be useless, or at least difficult, to retain a corps at Ross, by reason of the unsettled occupation of its residents. Nelson. With the exception of the corps in out-districts, the companies here are in a very creditable state. The Artillery Company is a new one, and, unlike many other companies of a similar arm, it has not neglected its infantry duties by confining itself exclusively to gun drill. The City Rifles and City Cadet Company are in as good order as the Artillery Company, and besides performing well and steadily ordinary company movements, all their companies requested me to manoeuvre them in battalion drill, in which they acquitted themselves in every way to my satisfaction. The Stoke Rifles, Stoke Cadets, Waimea Rifles, and Wakefield Cadets, moved very indifferently. Marlborough. I made two attempts to see the corps in this province—the first in January, when the Commanding Officer assured me that musters of his men could not be obtained, owing to their being dispersed in harvesting operations. On the second occasion, in tho month of June, parades had been ordered, and had actually taken place ; but the steamer by which I proceeded from the Manukau was detained, barbound, for two days, and consequently I could not reach Picton at the appointed time, and when I did subsequently arrive I could not reasonably order fresh parades. These three last-named districts of Westland, Nelson, and Marlborough, are without paid commanding officers. I think the service would be benefited if they were made one district under an active officer —one capable of imparting instruction. Nelson particularly, although it is possessed of a very efficient drill-sergeant, requires the supervision of a competent officer, and the Volunteers there deserve one. Wanganui. Of the three corps in this district lam able to speak very favourably. The Wanganui Rifles were able to perform every movement required of them with great steadiness, and I had not seen the " bayonet exercise " gone through so smartly as it was done by this company, which also seemed to have paid special attention to class firing, for it had 25 marksmen in its ranks. The Cadet Company promises to be a good one, and appeared to take much pleasure in skirmishing. The Alexandra Cavalry are expert riders, and, after executing the ordinary movements of parade, performed sword pursuing practice over a series of fences which they had erected for the purpose, without any mishap ■ —a feat not likely to be attempted successfully by any but corps who reside altogether in country districts, and who ride their own horses. Rangitikei. I was fortunate in finding three troops of Cavalry, four companies of Infantry, and one Cadet Company of this district, assembled at Marton on the 27th of June to witness the presentation of the Cadet Champion Belt to Ensign Chapman, of the Cadet Company, and took advantage of their presence for a very extended drill inspection. With this force on the ground, company, battalion, and even brigade drill were indulged in, and the various corps behaved exceedingly well, being evidently much pleased at having the opportunity of taking part in a more advanced description of drill than they had been accustomed to. These Cavalry corps, like that at Wanganui, are fit in every respect for any field service which might be required from them, and for employment in their own district their services would be invaluable. I should here state that these mounted corps had very recently been assembled for consecutive training by Major Noake, commanding at Wanganui, and it is to this circumstance I attribute their having acquitted themselves so well on the parade I have alluded to. The remaining corps of this district I had not an opportunity of seeing—namely, the Lady Bowen Troop and the Manawatu Rifles. The officer commanding this district was absent on leave, but he possesses a very suitable deputy in Lieutenant Heywood, the drill instructor. Patea. In consequence of extremely wet weather, short notice, &c, I could not see the three companies of this district in passing through it, namely, the Hawera Troop, the Patea Rifles, and the Wairoa Rifles. The two first-named are not clothed yet, and I am afraid, from the small and scattered population of the district, that Volunteers here will not be successful in acquiring a large degree of efficiency, as occurred in the Wairoa Light Horse, which, although it numbered thirty men, did not return one efficient Volunteer. Taranaki. There are here three corps, the Taranaki Light Horse, the Egmont Rifles, and a Cadet Company. The first-named, though not so advanced in their knowledge of military duties as the Cavalry corps of Wanganui and Rangitikei, bids fair to soon attain the same state of efficiency : they are well mounted and perform mounted drill very fairly, but have not yet had any dismounted drill, which I directed should be commenced. The Egmont Rifles should be in a much better state than that in which I found them. Their commanding officer is a very capable one, and I think quite agreed with me that his men were scarcely
H.—24
4
entitled to the capitation which they had received for last year. Tha advice I gave them will, I think, be adopted, and if so they will not be long in acquiring the knowledge the Volunteer Regulations demand. The Cadet Company, like many other Cadet corps in the country, had been armed without having had sufficient preliminary instruction; and I directed them to parade in future for a time without arms, that they might be carefully instructed in rudimentary drill. There seemed to be a feeling in this district that if the Militia Act were annulled, the Volunteer companies would prosper, an opinion which is contrary to that entertained in other districts, where it is held that if the Militia Act were enforced or introduced, Volu iteers would abound ; the reason being given, with regard to Taranaki, that Militiamen are eligible to fire for colonial and district prizes by attending only four parades in the year, whereas Volunteers must attend at least twelve parades, and possess other more important qualifications in respect of efficiency not imperative in the instance of Militiamen. Napier. In this small district there exists three corps —the Hawke's Bay Cavalry, the Artillery Company, and a Cadet Company. At the period of my inspection, the officer commanding the first-named corps asked me to be allowed to apply for the discontinuance of the services of his troop, without undergoing annual inspection, to which I consented. The last-named corps has been in existence since November, 1870, and at the period of my visit in March last, had not been clothed ; its members talked incessantly, jostled with each other, &c, in the ranks, and seemed not to be under any control whatever. As to instruction, it had evidently not received any; and upon what grounds it received capitation for the year ending March last, I cannot understand. With respect to the other corps, the Napier Artillery, the whole matter of its condition is revealed in the correspondence which is hereto annexed, consisting of your letter to me of the Bth of May, No. 166, covering extracts from Napier Telegraph and Evening Post, which you had submitted to Major Withers for report, with the reply of that officer and Captain Routledge's explanation, together with my letters, all of the 9th of June, to Major Withers, Major Roberts, and Captain Marshall, and their replies thereto, closing with my letter to you of the 13th of July, commenting on the matter under correspondence. The small force of this district had, besides its permanent Commanding Officer, two drill instructors, both of whom were capable of affording instruction to Volunteers. I think the district might now be abandoned as a Volunteer centre, and the Volunteer Acts and Regulations suspended therein. Thames. Of the six adult corps in this command at the time of my inspection, 236, of an enrolled strength of 484, were on parade. The Scottish Company produced the largest relative attendance —70 being present. These presented an exceedingly good and imposing appearance —very steady in the ranks, and evidently pay great attention to drill. The same favourable report may be made of the Rifle Rangers and No. 2 Hauraki Company. The Naval Brigade is also a smart body of men, but I could only see half its enrolled strength at drill. The No. 3 Hauraki was in course of reconstruction, and only 11 of its members were present. The No. 1 Hauraki Company has ceased to exist since my visit, for insubordinate proceedings iv connection with my inspection, induced, no doubt, by the example of its captain, whose conduct, and Volunteer irregularities in general in this district, are brought under jour observation in the annexed letters from me of the 11th and 12th of May, as well as in a communication from Major Cooper, the date of which is unknown to me, in which 1 understand that officer recommends the disbandment of the company, and gives his reason for making the request. The carriages, limber, and guns (howitzers) of the Naval Brigada have been standing for years outside the Naval Drill-shed, exposed to sun, rain, &c, and my inspection of them discovered their entire woodwork to be perfectly rotten. On this account, I could not satisfy myself that the members of the corps knew anything of their duty as gunners. I recommend that the guns be taken into store, and the woodwork burnt or sold; but I think a board of officers should first decide as to who is accountable for this wanton loss of valuable Government property. A corps which has for years past received so large an amount of capitation as has this corps, should have been directed to place a covering of some sort over the guns confided to their charge. This corps is very anxious to possess a boat, and one is essential to comply with the form of Naval efficiency certificate ; but no guarantee was supplied to prevent its receiving the same treatment as that which had been bestowed upon the limbers and carriages of the two howitzers. There are two Cadet corps at the Thames —one attached to the Scottish Company, and the other to the Engineer Cadet Company; both are in fair order. The latter corps complained that it had been unsuccessful in learning the state of its finances, as its adult commanding officer, Captain Rowe (who was, when I inspected his corps, employed in Waikato with the Engineer Militia), had, when questioned* by his subaltern on this subject, replied in very offensive language, and declined to give any explanation. Captain Rowe had better be called upon to hand in his resignation of the command of this Cadet Company, after satisfactorily explaining the state of the funds of the ccrps. Tauranga. Wet weather at the period of my visit to Tauranga may have had some effect in causing a small attendance on the inspection parades, and short notice was also pleaded in excuse. Of 22 of all ranks of the Tauranga Light Horse, 7 only were present, who came to the conclusion, on my advice, that if the corps could not be recruited to a reasonable strength within three months, it would resign. The members attributed the cause of its decline to the inattention of its late captain, who had a short time previously very properly resigned.
Appendix Nos. 3 to 9.
Appendix Nos. 10 to 18.
5
H— 24
Tauranga is a locality in which a good troop of mounted men might, be of much service, and on this account I advised recruiting instead of recommending disbandment. The Tauranga Rifle Company will yet be a better one than it is at present, after enrolling recruits which it expected to obtain: it is armed with Sniders, and its members have seen much active field service. Most inclement weather, and absence of means of transit, prevented my seeing the Bay of Plenty Cavalry, Opotiki Rifles, Te Wairoa Rifles, and Poverty Bay Corps. Waiuku and Wairoa District. This district contains eleven corps, some of which have a small contingent of Cadets attached to them, and is one of tho most important in the North Island. Its force is located, as if with strategical intention, as an outer line of defence to Auckland, with its right resting on South Manukau Head, and its left on the Wairoa, in Hauraki Gulf. Many of its corps are in good order —indeed, the Wairoa Rifles and Ist Pukekoke Company could not be excelled, and in the latter there was not one absentee ; nor were any absent from the Waiuku Cavalry, which is another troop admirably adapted for field service. The least efficient and worst clad was Tuakau Rifle Company. Besides being in so efficient a condition, the district has brought itself into note by the fact that the Cavalry, Infantry, and Cadet Champion Belts for the colony, for the present year, have been won by members of its Volunteer companies—an honor which has not before attached to one single Volunteer district, and is not likely to occur again. Although the Cadet Champion Belt has not been bestowed upon Cadet Currie of this district, he will no doubt claim the decoration in consequence of the cadet of Rangitikei to whom it has been given having been unfairly permitted to use a long Snider in the competition, instead of the prescribed Cadet muzzle-loading carbine, as was used by Cadet Currie of Waiuku. Since my inspection of this district, much discontent has arisen in some of its corps, by reason, no doubt, of a decision given by me with respect to capitation. The inquiry made of me was, "Is capitation money individual or corps property?" My answer was in conformity with 24th clause of " The Volunteer Act, 1865," which provides capitation for the " benefit of the corps." Subsequently, certain individuals left their corps, and then petitioned the Government for the issue to them individually of what they term their capitation. The Government received their request favourably, and ordered the payment to these individuals of the amount they claim, and in default of its receipt they now threaten law proceedings against tho Major Commanding the district, or the Officer Commanding their late corps. I would ask that the point in dispute be referred to the Attorney-General, for, if from no other reason, Volunteer companies will become extinct if they can, as the Government has now decided, claim individually the capitation granted by the Legislature for the benefit of corps collectively. My view of the matter, and my reading of the Volunteer Act on this subject, has been confirmed by the recent perusal of the Attorney-General's opinion recorded on a similar case which occurred in 1867, copy of which will be found in your office, dated 19th February of that year, addressed to an ex-volunteer of Taranaki. Waikato, Where there are three corps, two of Cavalry and one of Infantry, I have not yet been able to visit; but I propose to do so when the officer commanding the two Cavalry troops has rejoined his command, and will then transmit a supplementary report. Auckland. I will refrain from saying much with respect to this district, seeing that I am its Commanding Officer, and on that account I would have been glad if another officer had been instructed to report upon it. However, eight companies (four adult and four cadet), not being prepared to undergo the ordeal, had discontinued their services at the date of annual inspection. Those which remain have fairly earned their efficiency certificates, notwithstanding the difficulties which have interposed to prevent their attendance at drill, or in such numbers as is desirable. The drill-shed has been practically useless for twelve months or more, the supply of gas having been cut off and the approaches to it rendered highly dangerous by the excavations, &c, of the Albert Barrack Improvement Commissioners in the prosecution of their works. A large portion of the shed had also been fitted up for the reception of immigrants, and occasionally so occupied. Added to these annoyances is the circumstance that nowhere in the city is there a piece of ground available for outside drill. If it were not, then, for the assistance which is given me—the officers of the various corps holding them together — the force here would have collapsed long since. There is one feature in connection with the companies in Auckland which I have not found to exist in any other district, and it is this : that besides being the honest holders of efficiency certificates, they have hitherto contributed from their own funds £120 per annum for the maintenance of their rifle range and payment of a resident marker. Having so far treated upon the condition of the various Volunteer companies as regards their efficiency or otherwise, I proceed now to refer to their equipment, commencing with that portion thereof which is the property of the Government: — Ordnance. There is a desire on the part of Artillery companies to be possessed of pieces of ordnance not heavier than 6-pounder Armstrongs. I know that the supply of guns of such calibre at the disposal of the Government is very limited ; but I imagine that a small number of this useful and convenient description could now be procured from England at a very reasonable cost, so as to complete the number on issue to Artillery companies to two per company, or probably those already on hand (and
H.—24
6
how many there are can be stated by the Inspector of Stores) might suffice, if it should be found convenient or desirable to give to Naval corps the 24-pounder garrison guns on iron carriages which are parked at Auckland. If two of these latter description were given to the Naval corps at the Thames and Port Chalmers and to the Artillery company at Lyttelton, a sufficient number of 6-pounders might be found to equip the Artillery companies with two each, and their 12-pounder howitzers taken into store. The condition of the Artillery company at Nelson would justify their being put into possession at once of two 6-pounder Armstrongs, one from Auckland and the other from Lyttelton, as the company at the latter place wish to obtain garrison guns. The Naval Brigade in Auckland have in their charge two 40-pounder Armstrongs, which are in position on the North Head of the Auckland Harbour, and which they wish to retain. Arms. By far the larger portion of the Enfield rifles in the hands of Volunteers are worn out. Many of them had been, before issue to Volunteers, in the hands of Militiamen in remote localities, by whom they were used as fowling-pieces, and, upon being taken into store, were cleaned, browned, &c, and re-issued to Volunteers, apparently new, but absolutely worthless. The Terry breech-loading carbines in the hands of certain Cavalry and Cadet corps are in a worse condition, and are positively dangerous. Of the Cadet carbines, I believe there is a sufficient supply on hand to arm existing corps, for at present some corps are armed with Terry carbines and others w.th old-pattern sergeants' fusils, so that in firing for prizes all Cadets are not on the same footing. Accoutrements Now in charge of Volunteer Infantry companies are of an obsolete pattern. A neat black or patent leather waist-belt, with hook-and-eye clasps, ball bag, frog for sword bayonet, and rifle sling, are all that are necessary in the shape of accoutrements. Many corps would like to be permitted to wear a shoulder-belt, with small pouch attached ; but these might be provided by the corps which desire to wear them at their own expense, and so become corps property. The clothing or uniform of Volunteers, not being Government property, is not under Government control, excepting in so far as the colour of material and pattern is concerned. It would be very difficult, notwithstanding the stringent orders contained in the Volunteer Regulations, to find in the whole colony two companies dressed alike ; and this diversity is fatal to uniformity, particularly when any large number of Volunteers are massed for drill. Many corps have chosen gray Nelson cloth as their material —not, I think, because it is the prescribed cloth, nor because of its supposed suitability for serviceable uniform, but chiefly, I think, because of tho facility with which it is obtained from the Government, viz. at a very moderate cost, and payment is not required until the close of the Volunteer year in which it is drawn from store. My own impression is that this cloth is unsuitable for uniform: the material is good, but it is capable in the hands of the tailor of being trimmed out in every possible shade; and I have myself seen tunics constructed of this cloth of three different shades in the same tunic, arising from each piece probably having been shrunken in water of as many degrees of cleanliness or purity. With respect to the manufacture of the uniform in wear, much of it is execrably cut, and very many tailors are quite unable to make a suit which will fit comfortably and closely at the same time. I have seen some corps whose uniform was made as if by small chilc.ren in a girl's school. The foraging cap is another article of dress which is almost impossible to have made in a smart or proper manner, the effort of the manufacturer being evidently to turn out a French cap or kepi, in which he signally fails. He also usually supplies with this cap a chf.astrap, of sufficient length to reach only to the nose or mouth of the wearer, who, in order to secure his cap to his head, is obliged to pass the strap round the back of the head, after the manner of another branch of the colonial service. I think Volunteers should be neatly and smartly dressed, but uniformity should be insisted upon, and the general colour should, I consider, be rifle green. —a colour worn by most Rifle corps in England, as well as by the Rifle Brigade and 60th Rifles of the Imperial service. The material should be ordered by the Government from England, and issued on payment from store ; and pattern tunic, cap, and trousers should be sealed by the Government, and kept for inspection and guidance in the Volunteer Office of each district—each corps to have its own facings, and some distinguishing device embroidered on the shoulder-strap. Distinguishing corps badges might also be allowed on the forage cap. I am able to transmit herewith patterns of the material I recommend for clothing, ranging in price from 3s. per yard, 27 inches wide, for a very serviceable tartan (otherwise serge), to 13s. 6d. for the finest cloth of 56 inches wide —all of rifle green colour. Of all these, the tartan kersey, at 3s. 9d. per yard, is the one, I believe, would be selected as of the most suitable and serviceable quality. These patterns have been procured from a military outfitter in England by Captain Derrom, Victoria Rifle Company. Artillery, Cavalry, Scottish, and Naval companies might be allowed their distinctive uniform if they desire it; but with these exceptions, I think all other corps, including Engineers, should be made to adopt a similar uniform. Observations and Suggestions. To these I proceed with some diffidence, in consequence of my having been instructed in your letter, No. 349, of 6th November last, that my duty as Inspector was simply to report upon corps as I found them; and I also discovered, not without some regret, that an intimation.had been made to the Officer Commanding in Otago, from the Defence Officer, that my duty went so far, and no further. But I think a report of this description would be considered very defective were I not permitted to some extent to submit my views and opinions on general matters affecting the force, not exactly
7
H.—24
confined to individual corps ; and I must therefore ask your indulgence for yet a short period, in the hope that I shall be held free from censure in having exceeded the limit of the instructions conveyed to me and to the Officer Commanding in Otago. That the Volunteer Force of the colony is not in the condition in which it has been represented to be from time to time by officers commanding districts, in the capitation returns signed by them and transmitted to your office, cannot be denied; that it has been in a very inefficient condition for some years past, is to me very obvious ; and I regret to have to record my conscientious belief that the amount of public money expended as capitation on the 31st of March last is lamentably in excess of the sum which should otherwise represent the state of efficiency of the force in general, so that immediate and effectual measures should be had recourse to, to arrest for the future the useless and wanton expenditure which has for so long a.period been carried on, and for which officers commanding districts are primarily accountable. It would be unfair and unjust to attach much blame to the Volunteers themselves (for most of them know nothing of the regulations of the service in which they are enrolled), when many of the officers appointed by the Government to administer the Volunteer Regulations, and who are commanded in their commissions carefully and diligently to discharge the duties of their rank by exercising and well-disciplining the force under their charge, habitually ignore the directions given to them for their guidance. The Regulations are very clear and emphatic in describing an efficient Volunteer as one who obtains a certificate (form annexed) showing that he possesses certain simple qualifications ; that he cannot be deemed an efficient Volunteer otherwise (see clause 36 of the Regulations), and without this certificate capitation cannot be granted; but I have shown that instances abound in which the Government officer has recommended and procured capitation for men who have not earned their certificates, and who have not so much as even heard of such a document. (I may here, in parenthesis, give expression to the fear that Provincial Governments have been similarly imposed upon with respect to remission certificates in the acquisition of land under " The Volunteer Land Act, 1865.") I have also brought to your notice cases where no monthly parades are held, as the Regulations direct—and yet it has been certified that these parades have taken place ; and again I have placed before you-instances in which efficiency certificates have been thrust into the hands of men, and capitation thereby obtained for them, who did not (admittedly) possess the knowledge which their certificate affirmed that these men did possess. Can it be wondered at, then, that Volunteers will be lax in the way in which they perform their irresponsible duties ? I think not. Then, with respect to the Government drill-instructors. I think that Volunteers should be provided with the best men that can be procured, and there are many very excellent men employed in that capacity ; but there are some very indifferent ones too, like those at Napier. I know it is very difficult to obtain qualified drill-sergeants, and this is because the pay in the present state of things is wholly inadequate to their maintenance, in which respect it would be but fair to place them on an equality with sergeants of the Armed Constabulary. There is one point in connection with these drill-sergeants which has been brought by them under my observation, which is, that it has been ruled by the Government that they are not entitled to capitation. To them this deprivation is somewhat of a grievance, seeing that the 11th clause of "The Volunteer Act, 1865," classifies them with "efficient Volunteers," and the 24th clause of the same Act sanctions the issue to efficient Volunteers of capitation. On your reconsideration of their request, perhaps you will be good enough to obtain for them what it appears to me, by the authorities I have quoted, they may justly claim. In the first place, lax and incompetent commanding-officers, and unqualified drill-instructors may then, I think, be held accountable for the unsatisfactory state of Volunteer matters, submitted perhaps in too forcible terms to your notice. As a second cause, I must blame captains of companies, but in some measure only, for arming members of their corps without any preliminary drill, and placing them in the ranks beside their better-drilled comrades, when the 28th clause of the Regulations enjoins upon them that they shall, before enrolling new members, subject their recruits to a prescribed amount of rudimentary drill; for if this regulation were attended to, I am confident that larger attendances at drill than at present of the more competent members would result. As a third cause, the Press exercises a most pernicious and detrimental influence on the Volunteer movement, sometimes by enlarging in most laudatory terms upon the manner in which Volunteer corps go through their movements on parade, when, as in some cases which I could instance, no parade has taken place at all, and at others by condemning what had taken place when attendance was large and movements very creditably executed indeed. The Press also incites, no doubt unwittingly, in. a large degree to acts of insubordination amongst Volunteers, by the publication of statements mendacious in the extreme, and eminently calculated to bring the force into disgrace. I could record instances, but perhaps that which is already before you, and attached to this report, will suffice. I allude to the Press publication of the proceedings alleged to have taken place at a meeting of the Artillery Company at Napier in April last; for when the statement of what was said to have occurred is referred by you to the chairman of the meeting, Captain Routledge, for explanation, his testimony is that the statements in question had no foundation in fact. These false proceedings having been accepted as facts in the case of the Napier Artillery, no doubt incited a certain company at the Thames to hold an insubordinate meeting, which, as is shown in correspondence attached hereto, resulted in the disbandment of the corps. Another cause of the great decline in the efficiency of the Volunteer Force is the constantly recurring assurance that new Regulations are being prepared for introduction; but the anticipated improvements are slow in presenting themselves. Reports and propositions are sometimes prepared, even by Defence Committees, with results equally unsatisfactory and unworkable withal, probably because their sittings and researches are confined to Wellington ; so that the force, after looking with some degree of interest and anxiety for the improvement of which they hear so much, is much disap-
H.—24
8
pointed in finding that no measures of practical utility are suggested or decided upon. Under such circumstances, there is some justification for the utterance of the sentiment held by certain Volunteers in Wairarapa, that they were "just holding on to see what would turn up." Of late, Volunteers have been looking forward with revived interest to the promulgation of amended Regulations recently referred to by the Hon. the Defence Minister, as those, if found ineffectual to make the force more efficient than it is, will probably be the last attempt with such a view. If the amended Regulations referred to are those which have been lately circulated amongst Officers Commanding districts for report, then I think it is no harm to say that, in my opinion, they are not calculated to bring about a change for the better; on the contrary, many of the suggestions, if adopted, will have the effect of introducing trouble, discord, and greater inefficiency than at present exists. Of all the causes, however, which have tended to suppress the enthusiasm of volunteering which used formerly to obtain, is that of the unexampled prosperity of all portions of the colony, and advantage should be taken of so propitious a period (taking also into consideration the fact that the power of any force is quadrupled by the possession of breech-loading arms), to reduce materially, if disbandment is not decided upon, the unwieldy force now on paper only, and substitute small effective forces in populous localities only. After the annual class and district prize firing is over, and it should be completed by 31st of December next, I would recommend that the whole of the Enfield and Terry rifles, and their accoutrements, throughout the colony, be recalled into store ; that for the three succeeding months, drills should be carried on without arms, so as to complete, if necessary, the number of parades to insure capitation ; and on the 31st March disband the entire force, all commissions lapsing. Then, on the Ist April allow it to re-enrol, previously having employed an able Commission, not composed of Officers Commanding districts, to visit the various centres of population, and obtain and record opinions from every reliable source, which may happily enable it to add to the present Regulations (or cancel those which may be deemed obnoxious) such improvements as may be found to be necessary. This Commission should commence its operations at once, so as to be able to present to the force, before the 31st of March, a well-digested and possible scheme, in order that, on the Ist of April following, the re-enrolment may be effected; each corps then giving, before its services are accepted, an assurance that it will abide by and conform in every way to the new code. Then to these new corps let breech-loading arms be issued, tut no ammunition until they are reported to be thoroughly acquainted with the firing exercise. This Commission should also decide or recommend what number of corps shall be recognized, in what localities, and the number of each specific branch of the service, whether cavalry, artillery, infantry, or naval. By such means an efficient and manageable force will, I think, be obtained. I do not myself think that the existing Regulations can be improved upon excepting in very minor points, where additions would be desirable. I think they are excellent, so far as they go ; but for some unaccountable reason they seem to have been set aside by those whose duty it has been to administer them. As, however, the refrain on all sides is "give us new Regulations," then, I advise, let new Regulations be tried. To give an example of one of the changes for the better which certain of the officers of the force consider should be introduced, they say, Bring in a regulation " giv:ng power to the captain of a company to dismiss summarily a Volunteer for any sufficient offence whatever." Such a proposal has been expressed to me, in the course of my inspections, by two or three officers, to whom my reply was, that it would be unsafe and improper to devolve such power upon any other authority than the Governor, who, before he would exercise his prerogative, would have had both phases of the cases submitted for bis consideration. No other course would, at all events, satisfy the accused Volunteer. That the existing Regulations have defects and convey vague instructions there can be no doubt, but an experienced Commission could, in a very short period, remedy and solve them all; and it is with this view that I think the Commissioners should proceed to the head quarters of all districts, so as to bo accessible to all ranks, from all localities, and to hear all that can be heard on all matters connected with the system now in force or proposed to be introduced. This Commission might, I think, also be asked to give its opirion as to whether or not it would be advisable or expedient to permit men who do not desire or intend to re-enrol, to purchase Enfield rifles at a reduced cost, in order that they might be able to retain the knowledge acquired while belonging to the force, for by such an arrangement, the various companies would not be embarrassed by the occasional presence of men who were, although expert shots, in other respects useless as members of a corps. Such men might be termed "The Volunteer Reserve," and would be able to render effective service should circumstances require it; a register of their names and arms being kept in each district office, as well as by some civil functionary responsible under the Colonial Arms Acts, if such Acts prove to be applicable to such a proposition. Such a scheme is capable of being so worked out as to lead possibly to the supercession of the Militia Force, but on this point it is not my duty to dilate. Rifle Clubs. Much has been said in various quarters—and somewhat reproachfully, too —that Volunteers are nothing but rifle clubs. And why should Rifle corps not be Rifle clubs ? I confess to not seeing any very great impropriety in each corps establishing within itself, and under the control of the captain of the company, for the arms are his property for the time being, a corps club. The assertion so commonly made that Volunteers corps are nothing but Rifle clubs is, in my experience, an unfounded one, for in all my inquiries on this subject I have found that the members
H.—24
9
of these Rifle clubs were, in the majority of cases, the most regular attendants at drill; therefore, I feel bound to say that when a Volunteer corps is censoriously termed a Rifle club, the censure ia undeserved. I speak in general terms on this subject, for I do know of some individual Volunteers who only appear at rifle practice ; but these are cases in which the captain of the company, for he has the power to do so, should deprive a man of his rifle until he has satisfied his captain, by his knowledge of his continuous duty in the ranks, that he is eligible to be armed. Cadets. In another portion of this report I have alluded to the prosperous condition of the colony at large as the primary or chief cause of the decline of the Volunteer movement, and I suppose there is no section of the force which has been more affected by this prosperity than has been the Cadet branch thereof. The period is not yet forgotten when youths of 17, 18, or 19 years of age could scarcely find employment, but now lads of 13 or 14, only partially educated, are eagerly sought for to fill comparatively important positions in offices, companies, &c, and it is generally from schools in which Cadet companies have been established that the supply is procured. It is, therefore, seeing that lads are not enrolled as Cadets until they have attained the age of 12, almost the rule that such boys do not receive more than perhaps from six to nine or twelve months (exclusive of holidays) military training, and as a consequence of their being now enabled to embark in life at so youthful an age, School Cadet companies change each year in their material, a change perhaps not very gratifying to a drill instructor ; but it is a gratifying circumstance, nevertheless, that the lads have been much benefited in a variety of ways by the short period of military training to which they have been subjected. Then there are Cadet companies composed to a large extent of apprentices to various trades ; these also, from demands even upon their extra time, are unable to attend night drill so regularly or so continuously as would otherwise be desirable. In outlying districts there are also Cadet contingents under partial training : these also are, by reason of the demand for adult labour, employed in daily occupations formerly performed by older hands, and are able only with the greatest difficulty to attend even one drill in a month, and the. difficulty is enhanced by their being compelled to walk, in some cases, many miles to their drill-ground. Under such circumstances, Cadets (lads between 12 and 17) cannot be expected to attain to a very high degree a knowledge of military duties; but notwithstanding all this, I think the amount granted to Cadets, in the shape of capitation, is money well spent. It is to be hoped that hereafter some system may be devised by which boys of all ages attending school may be enabled to participate, even to a small extent, in the advantages attaching to the practice of military exercises. Concluding Observations. In the preceding portion of this report, I have endeavoured to report, as impartially and as faithfully as it is in my power to do so, on the condition of the Volunteer Force. I have exposed what I deemed to be grave irregularities, and with a view to prevent a recurrence of them I have suggested the means which I consider should be had recourse to, to either make the Regulations more stringent than they are, or to remove such portions thereof as may be found irksome or oppressive. But the most pleasant portion of my duty remains to be performed, which is, that I must record my respectful opinion—in opposition to the habit, which has become so prevalent of late, of decrying and denouncing, in harsh and unmeasured terms, the services of the Volunteer Foree —that the services which have been rendered to the country at large by Volunteers in times of need and calamity which are past, and which still continue to be afforded so far as the recent altered and happy state of things will permit, should not be either forgotten or lightly esteemed. With respect to those who do habitually attend drill, I am able confidently to state that there could not exist a more intelligent, obedient, and apt body of men, when under proper management — men who deserve every consideration and encouragement. Why they attend drill at all. in view of the contemptuous and prejudicial opinions which, in numerous and influential quarters too, are given expression to with respect to the force generally, is a matter of much surprise. It can only be from a total ignorance of the subject of which they, doubtless, suppose themselves to be complete masters, that such persons are led to malign a force whose gallantry and patriotism, from the earliest introduction of the system, have been tested in countless instances. In the recent war, I think it will be admitted that our Volunteers, or irregular troops, contributed not a little, in conjunction with the Imperial forces, to the subjugation of the enemy. In our more recent campaigns on the East and West Coasts, were not our European forces composed of Volunteers ? Subsequently, on the occasion of the murder of Sullivan in the Waikato, there were as many as 200 Volunteers from and around Auckland alone, prepared to move to that locality at the shortest notice, and these were men then serving in our Volunteer ranks. And on the last occasion, in December or January last, on which a call was made for Volunteers for any service which might be required from them in the Waikato, the response was such from Auckland and the Thames that three strong companies were instantly organized, and as many as 500 men were rejected as not being required. The spirit of volunteering is not, then, dormant; but upon the measures which may now be adopted will probably depend its utter extinction or resuscitation —so that those upon whom shall devolve the consideration of these two important questions, should be asked to take as the text of their deliberations, the truism, attributed to the first Napoleon, that "That nation stands upon a rock, whose citizens (as distinguished from regular soldiers) are at all times prepared to shoulder the musket." I have, &c, William Gordon, Major, The Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. Inspector of Volunteer!. 2—H. 24.
H.—24
10
APPENDIX. Enclosure 1 in No. 1. Report by Major Gordon, on condition of Wellington Rifle Volunteers at Annual Inspection, December, 1873. Sir,— Wellington, 10th December, 1873. Having inspected the various corps of Volunteers in this city, I consider it expedient to submit for your consideration certain matters with respect to their condition at once, rather than to refer to them only at the period at which my term of inspection of the colony terminates. These corps are very partially, and in very many instances inaccurately, instructed. Members are armed and accoutred without having had any rudimentary drill. The Government staff drill-sergeant resides at some distance in the country, and requires, himself, some instruction. I find the members of these companies apt, eager, and anxious for instruction, and I beg to recommend that two or three instructors from the Armed Constabulary Instructional Depot be placed at Colonel Reader's disposal for the proper and gradual instruction of these companies. If my proposal is acceded to, I venture to say that at the end of tho summer the Volunteer companies of Wellington will be in as efficient a condition as it is desirable that they should be, seeing that they compose the garrison of the metropolis of the colony, and are continually brought under the eye and presence of Her Majesty's representative. ;. I beg further to state how necessary it is that a suitable drill-shed should be erected for Volunteer purposes in the city. I have, &c, William Gordon, Major, The Under Secretary for Defence, Militia and Inspector of Volunteers. Volunteer Branch, Wellington.
Enclosure 2 in No. 1. Interim Report by Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers, on his Annual Inspection of the Volunteer Force of Otago and Southland for Volunteer Year 1873-74. Wellington, 27th February, 1874. The number of corps in Otago and Southland whose services have been from time to time accepted by the Government is 37, and having satisfied myself, by personal inspection and by other evidence, that the following corps are now (and have for a considerable period been allowed to exist) in a state of chronic inefficiency from an almost total unacquaintance with the simple drill requirements of the Volunteer Regulations, resulting from the continuous absence of the majority of their members from instruction drill, it is incumbent upon me to recommend their disbandment on the last day of the Volunteer year, the 31st of March next, viz., — No. 2 Scottish Rifles Dunedin Cadet Company Waikari Rifles North Dunedin Cadet Company North Dunedin Rifles Port Chalmers Naval Cadet Company Riverton Rifles Invercargill Cadet Company Hampden Rifles Otepope Cadet Company. The Orepuki Rifles ") These corps should be discontinued by reason The Queenstown Rifles > of their very remote positions, from which The Queenstown Cadet Company ) cause they cannot be instucted. Tho Invercargill Highland Company should also be discontinued because of the imposition practised upon the Government at the period of its formation, September, 1873, for whereas forty-five persons petitioned for tho acceptance of their services, only seventeen have absolutely enrolled. The following corps, from their present attenuated strength with regard to effective members, should be instructed to amalgamate, viz.,— The Dunedin and Port Chalmers Naval Companies as one Naval Brigade, with head-quarters at Port Chalmers. The East Taieri and West Taieri Companies as one corps, with head-quarters at Mosgiel. The No. 1 and the No. 2 Clutha Companies as one Company, with head-quarters at Balclutha. Should these corps not agree to amalgamate, they should be added to the list of companies to be disbanded, for the reasons for which I have advised their amalgamation. In Otago there exist three Volunteer battalions, but in no case does any battalion organization seem to have been attempted. The officer gazetted to command the Ist Battalion —and enjoined by the commission bestowed upon him to exercise and to discipline the officers and volunteers of his battalion —had not, I was informed, appeared on parade for nearly three years. The 2nd Battalion desired, in February, 1872, that it might be so organized in order to acquire a knowledge of battalion drill, but it has never once been assembled for that purpose. The 3rd Battalion.would appear to have been irregularly constituted at its formation—in November, 1872—by the admission of a Cadet Company to complete its strength to four companies. The irregularity consisted in the Cadet Company being looked upon for the occasion as a " Company of the establishment," to quote the words of the Volunteer Regulations, which can scarcely be the case when it is considered that Cadets are not enrolled or sworn in Volunteers. This 3rd Battalion attempted on one occasion to assemble for battalion drill, but only a strength equal to that of one ordinary
11
H.—24
company appeared on parade. The only purpose which has been served by the construction of these three battalions is, that three officers have been advanced to the' rank of major, neither of whom have, in my opinion, complied with the injunctions or orders of His Excellency the Governor, enjoined upon them in the commissions appointing them to their present very responsible positions. The disbandment of the companies I have before enumerated will effect the dissolution of these battalions, when the commissions of the majors commanding them will necessarily lapse. The cause of the unsatisfactory condition of the Volunteer Force of Otago and Southland I attribute to two general reasons —firstly, to the exceptionally prosperous state of those portions of the colony, in which time is truly money, and when the spare moments of the inhabitants are spent to more pecuniary advantage to themselves than in attending to military duties; and secondly, to the circumstance that the officer commanding has hitherto been an unpaid and consequently an irresponsible officer, and whose business avocations have precluded his giving that time and attention to his important Volunteer duties which, on the one hand, the Government has a right to expect and demand, and to which, on the other,' tho Volunteers themselves are entitled; whereas, under him, is the Adjutant, the paid Government officer, without any authority whatever. I consider that the paid officer of the Government should be the only accountable officer, and that, therefore, he should hold His Excellency the Governor's warrant to command. The district of Otago and Southland is of such magnitude, and has hitherto contained so many companies (37), that a staff of even 12 drill-sergeants could not perform the duties required from drillinstructors, but at present there are only 2 sergeants available for drill purposes throughout the district, who, with the adjutant, are continually travelling. If the reductions which I have recommended are effected, I consider that the staff should consist as follows, viz.:— 1 Commanding Officer (Major Atkinson), 3 Staff-Sergeants (exclusively for drill), 1 Bugler and Messenger. Before action is taken on this interim report, I would ask that it be submitted to the Officer Commanding in Otago for his remarks. I have, &c, William Gordon, Major, The Under Secretary for Defence, Militia and Inspector of Volunteers. . Volunteer Branch, Wellington.
No. 2. Lieutenant-Colonel Reader to the Acting Under Secretary for Defence. Sir,— Militia Office, Wellington, 24th December, 1873. With reference to Major Gordon's report on the Wellington City corps, dated 10th December, 1873, forwarded for my information and remarks, by order of the Hon. Dr.. Pollen, I have the honor to state I should have felt considerable diffidence in offering remarks and commenting on the justice of that report had I not been instructed by a Minister to do so, from the fact that Major Gordon having been appointed Inspector of Volunteers for the current year, is for the time being my superior officer; but having been so instructed, I am bound, in the interests of the corps under my command, and in vindication of myself, to make the following statements respecting the inspection of each corps. The first inspected was the Volunteer Artillery. The parade took place in the shed liberally placed at the disposal of the Volunteers by Captain Pearee. Out of a total strength of 55, only three men were absent without leave. Major Gordon, attended by myself, was received with the usual salute, and afterwards inspected the ranks. It was explained, to him, both by Captain Pearee and myself, that there had been considerable changes in the corps during the past few months, which would be apparent to any one from the fact that few members except in the front rank could appear in the full dress of the battery. After inspecting the ranks, Major Gordon proceeded to put the corps through countermarching by ranks, wheeling into line and back into column, finding fault that these manoeuvres (which I had always looked upon as only adapted to rifle corps formed into a battalion) were not familiar to the men; and further stated that the most important part of their duty was to learn ordinary company drill, gunnery drill being a secondary consideration. The men then manned the guns and took them out to the reclaimed land, where, on a vacant section of about 80 yards by 40 yards (the only available ground within reach), Captain Pearee succeeded, notwithstanding, in working his guns very creditably. Major Gordon found no fault beyond that, in doubling, the men did not bend their elbows. I may be wrong, but my impression is that armed men—that is, men wearing side-arms —do not bend their elbows in doubling. The next corps inspected was the Wellington Veteran Corps, which paraded on a piece of ground at Te Aro which I had for the first time been able to procure for out-door drill —a vacant section I occupy on sufferance, and which is liable to be fenced in at any time for building purposes. The corps mustered 50 men out of a total strength of 53 ; the three absentees being temporarily away from Wellington, two in connection with their trades. After Major Gordon had been received with the usual salute, I pointed out that there were a considerable number of recruits in the rankß, who had joined within the last three months. However, they were allowed to remain in the ranks, and a subaltern officer placed in command. Over-anxiety on the part of the officer, and the rawness of the recruits, conduced to make the company work anything but steadily, and led to mistakes which would never have occurred if the recruits had been drafted out and the remainder drilled by their commanding officer, Captain Crowe. The third and last city corps inspected by Major Gordon was the Wellington Highland Corps. I explained to Major Gordon that some five months ago, Captain Carey, who commanded it, through
12
H.—24
some difference with his men, resigned, and a number of the members followed his example, threatening at the time the disbandment of the corps, but through the exertions of Mr. McKirdy, the acting captain, it had now recovered to a respectable strength, although both officers and men required considerable training, the former being only acting, and the latter mostly recruits. The muster was good, but some were in one uniform, others in another, and the remainder in plain clothes. New uniform had been ordered, but could not be ready for two months, as the manufacturer could not supply the tweed for some time. Major Gordon, after inspecting this raw material, placed the company under command of one of the acting subalterns, and the result was of course unsatisfactory. One-half of these men are very fairly proficient, and have been drilled by myself apart from the recruits, the latter being handed over to the staff sergeant for primary instruction. The whole being drilled together, and by an officer not qualified for the task, was fatal. With respect to Major Gordon's charge that the men are only partially trained, —every movement of service to a company of Volunteers they have been instructed in. Forming squares to receive cavalry, and countermarching by ranks, I acknowledge have been neglected, the former being of no use in this country, and the latter adapted only to battalion movements, and we have not a sufficient number of city corps to form one. We have not been able to practice light infantry drill this year, for the simple reason that we have lost the only ground we occupied last, and as yet have been unable to procure any other which would allow of a company being moved in extended order. I cordially agree with Major Gordon that the men are apt and eager to learn; but however apt and eager they may be to acquire knowledge, until men can spare more time for drill than in these busy days they can afford to do, perfection in drill, as expected by Major Gordon, is hardly to be attained. With respect to the remarks on the staff drill-sergeant, it is needless for me to revert to them— he being suspended for writing a letter in the papers —beyond stating that he has worked hard since I have known him, is a past instructor of Ilythe, and his having lived two miles out of town has been of no inconvenience to the town corps, and of the greatest convenience to several of the country corps. I do certainly require a sergeant now, to replace the one suspended, for the instruction of recruits; but beyond that, I can undertake, by the end of the drill season, to bring my men to quite as high a state of drill as the limited time they can afford to give to it would enable any one to accomplish. I have, &c, H. E. Reader, Lieutenant-Colonel, The Acting Under Secretary for Defence, Commanding Wellington District. Militia and Volunteer Branch. .
No. 3. Extract from the Evening Post, relative to the Napier Artillery and Major Gordon's conduct towards them. The Napier Telegraph of the Bth instant contains the following: —A numerously attended meeting of the Napier Artillery Company was held last night at the Foresters' Arms, Captain Routledge in the chair.' It was unanimously resolved that the company should not disband, but being now the only Volunteers in the Province, that they would do their utmost to make the corps one of the best in New Zealand, and worthy of being inspected by any one, in spite of the disapprobation, animadversions, and strictures of Major Gordon, which, in the opinion of the meeting, were totally inapplicable, uncalled for and inadmissible. Major Gordon's conduct was severely commented on as unworthy of an officer and a gentleman, and the company took that opportunity of recording, on the books of the corps, their opinion of it. It was resolved that the Cadet Company of the Rifle corps should be taken over, as, unless they were attached to an adult company, they would have to be disbanded.
No. 4. Letter from Major Withers, Napier, to the Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. g IB Militia and Volunteer Office, Napier, 27th April, 1874. I have the honor to inform you that, agreeable to your instructions, I called on Captain Routledge to report, for your information, what foundation there was for the language said to have been made use of in a resolution which was proposed, carried, and ordered to be recorded on the books of the corps under his command, at a meeting held by them, as reported in the Napier Telegraph of the Bth instant, and copied into the Evening Post of the 13th instant, and now append his reply, together with an attested copy of the resolution in question. I have, &c, E. Withers, Major, Commanding Napier Militia and Volunteer District. Colonel Wm. Moule, Under Secretary for Defence, Militia and Volunteer Branch, Wellington.
Enclosure 1 in No. 4. Letter from Captain Routledge, N.A.V., to Major Withers. Sxr — Napier, 25th April, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of yours dated 20th of April, asking for a report of certain language said to have been used at a meeting of the N.A.V., at which meeting I was chairman.
13
H.—24
In reply, I beg to say that no such language or expressions were made use of in my presence, as I should have deemed it my duty immediately to put a stop to it. As I cannot hold myself responsible for what appears in a newspaper regarding the minutes of a meeting at which there was no newspaper reporter, I deem it my duty to enclose, for your information, a copy of the resolution that was passed at the meeting referred to. I think I also have a right to inform you that the cause of the enclosed resolution being passed, was a remark made by Major Gordon, at the inspection, to the effect that " he came prepared to make an unfavourable report of the Napier Artillery Volunteers." The above, I trust, will be sufficient for the information of the Defence Minister. I have, &c, Major Withers, W. Routledge, Commanding District, Napier. Captain N.A.V. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 1 in No. 4. Copy of one of the Resolutions of a Meeting of the Napier Artillery Volunteers held at " The Foresters' Arms," April 13th, 1874. Proposed by Sergeant-Major Grey, and seconded by Gunner King, " That this meeting consider the conduct of Major Gordon to the Napier Artillery Volunteers unwarrantable." Sub-Lieut. Brooking, Hon. Sec.
Enclosure 2 in No. 4. The Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington, to Major Gordon, Napier. Native and Defence Office (Militia and Volunteer Branch), Sir,— Wellington, Bth May, 1874. I am instructed by the Hon. Dr. Pollen (acting for the Hon. the Native Minister) to transmit herewith, for your information, copies of correspondence relating to remarks alleged to have been made at a meeting of the Napier Artillery Volunteers. I have, &c, W. Moule, Lieut.-Colonel, Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers, Napier. Acting Under Secretary for Defence.
No. 5. Recommendation from Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers, relative to the Disbandment of the Napier Artillery. Sir,— Auckland, 13th July, 1874. With reference to your letter No. 166, of the Bth of May last, covering certain communications from Major Withers, commanding at Napier, and Captain Routledge, of the Napier Artillery Volunteer Company, I have to report that the language —or rather words pretty similar in import, but not quite —attributed to me by the Napier Artillery Volunteers were used by me; but lam glad to be able to show the Defence Minister how far-fetched and how malevolent is the ingenuity brought into exercise by this company, to enable it to concoct the statement in question, and which it seems to wish it to be understood as the only language I addressed to the corps when I saw it on the 27th March last. My better plan is to record precisely the language I did use, and underscore the words which the corps extracted from my address, so as to construct the observation which it took under its consideration with the approval of its commanding officer, and upon which it was pleased to record its opinion as follows: —" That this meeting considers the conduct of Major Gordon to the Napier Artillery Volunteers unwarrantable." My address to the company was as follows : —" Artillery Volunteers of Napier: On arriving on the parade ground (where the presentation of prizes to colonial prize-firing representatives took place), I observed that you were being told off and proved by an obsolete rule, abandoned many years ago : then, when the general parade was formed, I placed you as an Artillery Company on the right, as the post of honor, and in front, to lead the column in marching past, but found you so deficient in the simplest rudiments of drill, that you contributed very much to mar the effect I intended the general parade to present, and that, therefore, in coming to see you on your private parade, at squad and company drill, I felt that my report on your state would, unfortunately, be any but a favourable one — such an one as the Government ivould scarcely be prepared to receive of the Napier Artillery ; but that, having discovered that the chief cause of your great deficiency in any knowledge of the drill required by the Volunteer Regulations, is owing to the incapacity of the instructor provided for you by the Government, I will not take advantage of your present condition to make any report to the Government now, but will revisit Napier in the course of six weeks or two months, and that, upon inspection then, my report will be based; in the meantime I will take steps to cause you to be provided with a competent drillsergeant." In corroboration of my statement, I beg to annex the evidence of Major Withers, Major Roberts, and Captain Marshall. I will here remark that, when Major Withers addressed you on the 27th of April, he should, when he had the opportunity, have informed you of all that occurred on the parade in question, instead of withdrawing, until called for by me, information which he must have known would have given to my proceedings an aspect of quite a different character to that which he and the Artillery Company perhaps intended it to present. As this assembling of companies to pass resolutions condemnatory of their superior officer is so subversive of all discipline, I hope that the Napier Artillery Company will be summarily disbanded, as was the First Hauraki Company for a similar offence.
H.—24
14
I think my address to this company was thoughtful and considerate iv the extreme, and it was my intention to revisit Napier to make the promised inspection ; but when en route with that intention I discovered at Wellington that, notwithstanding on the 27th of March I found it so inefficient as to refrain from then bringing its condition under the notice of the Government, yet, on the 31st of the same month Major Withers found it to be in the efficient state required by the Volunteer Regulations, clause 36, page 30, and Circular Letter No. 93, of 31st of October, 1871; and upon his certificate to that effect its capitation claim had been passed for payment. Under circumstances so extraordinary, any further inspection of this corps, and particularly by me, would no doubt have been regarded by it and by the Officer Commanding the district as a mere burlesque. I have, &c, Wm. Gordon, Major, The Under Secretary for Defence, Militia and Inspector of Volunteers. Volunteer Branch, Wellington.
No. 6. Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers, to Major Withers, Napier. Sir,— Wellington, 9th June, 1874. Having been placed in possession, by the Government, of your letter No. 15, of 27th April last, with its enclosures from Captain Routledge, of the Napier Artillery Volunteers, dated 25th April, in which that officer has reported " That Major Gordon, at the inspection, stated that he came prepared to make an unfavourable report of the Napier Artillery Volunteers," I have the honor to request that you will be pleased to state, seeing that I detained you beside me during the whole time of my address to that corps in the inspection parade in question, whether the accusation is truthful or otherwise. I will also ask you to state whether it is not a matter of fact that I informed that corps " that I would not take advantage of its then condition, by reason chiefly of the incompetency of its Government drill-instructor, to report upon it in any shape to the Government; and that I would hereafter, in the course of six weeks or two months, again make the annual inspection of the corps, and upon which latter inspection my report would be based." I will be obliged by your addressing your reply to me at Auckland. I have, &c, Wm. Gordon, Major, Major Withers, Napier. Inspector of Volunteers.
No. 7. Major Withers, Napier, to Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers. Sir, — Militia and Volunteer Office, Napier, 16th June, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, wherein you call on me to state as to the truth or otherwise of the expression said by Captain Routledge, commanding Napier Artillery Volunteers, to have been made use of by you at the inspection of that corps on the 27th of March last. In reply, I have to inform you that you did distinctly make use of the words in question, as well as those you have called to my notice. I have, &c, E. Withers, Major, Major Wm. Gordon, Commanding Militia and Volunteers. Inspector of Volunteers, Auckland.
No. 8. Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers, to Major Roberts, A.C., Commanding at Tauranga. Sir,— Wellington, 9th June, 1874. Captain Routledge, of the Napier Artillery Volunteers, having informed the Government that Major Gordon, at the inspection of his corps in March last, intimated to his company that "he came prepared to make an unfavourable report of the Napier Artillery Volunteers," I beg to inquire of you, as you (with Captain Marshall) were standing near me during the period of my address to that corps, whether you consider Captain Routledge's statement truthful or otherwise. I have, &c, Wm. Gordon, Major, Major Roberts, A.C., Commanding at Tauranga. Inspector of Volunteers. Returned to Major Gordon. 25th June, 1874. I did not hear Majori Gordon make use of the language quoted in this letter, and I should have done so, if it had been been used at the time and place mentioned. J. M. Roberts, Inspector A.C,
15
H.—24
No. 9. Sub-Inspector Captain Marshall to Major Gordon, Inspector of Volunteers. Sic, — Armed Constabulary Depot, 23rd June, 1874. In reply to your letter of the 9th instant (the delay in replying thereto being in consequence of my absence from Wellington), I have the honor to state that, as far as my memory serves me, the words you quote, or something to the same effect, were used to the Artillery Company at Napier, by you, at the inspection in March last. I accounted for the expression from your having seen the company at their preliminary drill as we passed them before the presentation parade, and also from their performances in company movement as part of the battalion on the latter occasion. I have, &c, J. Taylor Marshall, Sub-Inspector, Major Gordon, Inspector, Militia and Volunteers, A. C. Force. Wellington.
. No. 10. Major Gordon to Colonel Moule. (Telegram.) Auckland, 23rd April, 1874. I have suspended Captain Lipsey, Thames Rifles, for insubordinate conduct, for having, after I had given his company my opinion of its condition, issued an order, through the newspapers, disarming it; and for having approved of the absence of his entire company from a church parade, from which he himself remained absent, because of my remarks with respect to the inefficiency of his company. Letter on the subject will be despatched after I receive from you his capitation return from March, 1873. William Gordon, To Colonel Moule, Wellington. Major.
No. 11. Major Gordon to the Under Secretary for Defence. Sir,— Auckland, 11th May, 1874. When directing the assembly of the Volunteer companies of the Thames District for annual inspection, I was informed by Major Cooper that there was always much difficulty in obtaining (in consequence of the nature of their occupation) a large muster of his men for any special parade on an ordinary working day. I inquired, if a church parade were ordered would there be any possibility of a large attendance, to which he replied in the affirmative. Whereupon I requested him to appoint the days and hours for the annual inspection of his corps, for those men who could conveniently attend, and to order, as well, a Sunday parade, so that all could be present; and he accordingly promulgated the annexed district order.* In Compliance therewith, a portion of No. 1 Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, under the command of Captain Lipsey, paraded for inspection on the night of the 16th ultimo, 22 out of a strength of upwards of 70 only being present, and amongst them a drunken quartermaster-sergeant. I caused these men to be moved about by their lieutenant, but saw at once that they were quite unable to do anything. Then I practised them myself in rudimentary drill, and still found them scarcely able to turn to the right about. Before dismissal, firstly, I directed Captain Lipsey to take his drunken sergeant, whom I had caused to quit the drill, before Major Cooper, with a view to his being deprived of his stripes. Secondly, I inquired from Captain Lipsey if I could see the remainder of his men on the next or any other night, to which he replied that he "thought I could not," and he also intimated that about thirty of his men were serving in the Waikato Engineer Militia. I informed him that consequently they could scarcely now belong to his company, seeing that they had been sworn in to quite another branch of the colonial service, and should therefore be struck off his roll. His reply was that he had Major Cooper's permission to keep them on his roll. I then inquired if it was probable that I would be able to see his entire company, excepting those at Waikato, on parade on the following Sunday. His answer was, " I think not." I then addressed his men present in the following terms : — * Disteict Oedees. Militia and Volunteer Office, Shortland, Bth April, 1874. Major Gordon will make the annual inspection of the several Volunteer corps of the Thames District, in the following order, viz.:— Wednesday, 15th instant, at 1 p.m. —Engineer Cadets, at Volunteer Hall. Thursday, 16th instant, at 7 p.m. —No. 1 and No. 3 H.R.V., at Volunteer Hall. Friday, 17th instant, at 7 p.m. —No. 2 H.R.V. and T.R. Rangers, at Drill-shed of the T.S.V., Graharnstown. Saturday, 18th instant, at 5 p.m. —T.S.V. and Cadets and Band, Drill-shed, Grahamstown. At 7.30 p.m. —Naval Brigade and Band, Naval Brigade Shed, Grahamstown. Officers commanding Corps will bring their company's books to parade. There will be a general Church Parade opposite the Music Hall, Grahamstown, on Sunday, the 19th instant, at 10.15 a.m. By Order. I. R. Coopee, Major.
H.—24
16
" As the Inspector of Volunteers, it is my first duty to ascertain whether or not members of the force comply with the requirements of the Government as they are specified in the printed form of efficiency certificate ; viz., that the grantee of each certificate has attended the prescribed number of parades, and that he has a competent knowledge of squad and company drill, and manual and platoon exercise. Now, as you who are now present appear to have no knowledge whatever of these things, I conclude that your captain and the Officer Commanding the district can hardly, under their hand, certify that you have that knowledge ; and the rule is, that when efficiency certificates are not issued, capitation cannot be granted : but as the capitation return is not made out yet, I advise you to set to work and acquire the knowledge necessary to obtain these certificates as soon as possible." These observations appear to have given dire offence to Captain Lipsey, for immediately afterwards I extracted from a public newspaper the annexed order,* published under his hand, disarming his company. On the following Sunday morning the Volunteer companies paraded in large numbers, and presented a highly creditable appearance, but conspicuous by its total absence was No. 1 Hauraki Company, and amongst the spectators, and in plain clothes, was its captain, who did not deign to come near me to apologize for or explain the absence of his entire company. On the next morning I sent for Captain Lipsey to the Volunteer Office, when (in the presence of another captain of Volunteers) I called his attention to the advertisement, signed by himself, calling in the arms of his company, and asked him if he had obtained the consent of His Excellency the Governor or of the Government to disarm his company. He answered that he had not, but that after the way in which I had spoken to his company on the Thursday preceding, it would not serve any longer, and that he had deemed it necessary— particularly as it was the wish of the company —to call in the arms preparatory to resignation. I then asked him to account for the total absence of his corps from the parade on the day previous. His answer was that, as it had determined to resign, the members thought it advisable to remain absent. I now required him to explain why he had not presented himself on parade, as an officer holding a commission, in obedience to the order he had received from his superior officer. His reply was, " Oh, after the way you spoke to us the other night, I wasn't going to any parade. You had no business to suppose that I was going to claim capitation for those men you saw, for they are all recruits." I hereupon intimated to him that, for having taken measures to disarm his company without any authority, and for having approved of the absence of his company, as well as for having absented himself intentionally from a parade ordered by his superior officer, I suspended him from the control of his company, and would place his lieutenant (Quinton) in command; and he is now suspended, as I reported to you by telegram. I subsequently cancelled, in the memorandum! in the margin, Captain Lipsey's order disarming his corps. As Captain Lipsey intended me to understand that the men of his company who were on parade on the night of the 16th ultimo were recruits, and consequently that he could scarcely ask for capitation for them, I beg to annex a memorandum of the names of the men who were present on the occasion in question, and a copy of his capitation return for year ending 31st March, 1873, when, from a comparison of one document with the other, inferences may be drawn to which it would not be prudent for me, at present at all events, to give expression. In this capitation return of March, 1873, is included the name of one William Plant, who. informs me in a letter, which I annex, that under the Regulations he knows he was never entitled to the grant, but that, nevertheless, he knows it was drawn by Captain Lipsey ; and, truly enough, bis name is embraced in the capitation claim for 1872-73. And so also in the same return is included the name of W. Woon for £2, a man who was never in Captain Lipsey's company at all. Under these circumstances, I think it very desirable that the connection between Captain Lipsey and the Volunteer service should be severed as soon and as summarily as possibly, and I would recommend that his company capitation return for 31st March, 1874, and the cash accounts of his corps to the same date, be subjected to the closest official scrutiny before capitation is paid. I have, &c, Wm. Gordon, Major, The Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. Inspector of Volunteers. Names of Members of No. 1 H.R.V. present at Annual Inspection Parade. Shortland, 16th April, 1874. Captain E. Lipsey, Lieutenant Jas. Quinton, Colour-Sergeant Jas. Collins, Sergeant Jas. McDonald, Sergeant Wm. Newman, Corporal Jas. Wilson, Bugler Geo. Smith, Volunteer T. A. Bell, Volunteer Jos. Read, Volunteer J. E. Hansen, Volunteer Geo. Denby, Volunteer J. Maingay, Volunteer H. Hay, Volunteer F. Cashen, Volunteer J. Ryan, Volunteer G. Walton, Volunteer H. Menary, Volunteer Job. Fathers, Volunteer Jno. Tooher, Volunteer Jas. McCauley, Volunteer P. Leyland, Volunteer J. Fauch. [These names are two in excess of the numbers returned in the parade state, but as I took account of the numbers at an early period of the inspection, the others probably came in while the Cadets and No. 3 H.R.V. were exercising..—J. Grant, Sergeant-Major, Militia and Volunteers, Thames.] * No. 1 Royals.—ln consequence of the unfavourable report as to the efficiency of the company, by Major Gordon, the members of the No. 1 Royal H.R.V. are requested to return the uniforms, arms, and accoutrements of the company to me on or before Thursday, tho 23rd of April instant, preparatory to the resignation of the whole company.— F. Lipsey, Captain. t Memoeandum. —Shortland, 20th April, 1874. The officer lately in command of No. 1 H.R.V. having, by public advertisement, taken measures towards the disarming of tbat corps without the authority of His Excellency the Governor, the advertisement in question is hereby cancelled.—Wm. Goedon, Major, Inspector of Volunteers.
17
H.—24
No. 12. William Plant, Shortland, to Major Gordon, Auckland. Sir— Shortland, 29th April, 1874. Having been a member formerly of No. 1 Royals, I beg to request that you will inform me what I ought to do with my clothing: whether lam entitled to keep it, or not ? I believe the amount of capitation drawn for me has more than paid for the same, although I know, by the Volunteer Regulations, I never was entitled to any capitation allowance, but still it has, nevertheless, been drawn for me. Of course I cannot answer what has been done with it. I should feel very much obliged if you could give me any information on the above subject, and shall be glad to give you any information that I can regarding the No. 1 Royals, either public or private. I have, &c, William Plant, Rolleston Street, ex Volunteer, No. 1 Royals. Major Gordon, Militia and Volunteer Office, Auckland.
No. 13. The Under Secretary for Defence to Major Cooper, Thames. Native and Defence Office (Militia and Volunteer Branch), Sir— Wellington, 19th May, 1874. Under instructions from the Hon. Dr. Pollen, I have the honor to transmit herewith, for your information, copy of a letter received from Major Gordon, reporting on his inspection of the No. 1 Company Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, and to request you will be good enough to favour me with your remarks thereon, by the earliest possible opportunity, for submission to the Hon. the Native Minister. I have, &c, Wm. Moule, Lieut.-Colonel, Acting Under Secretary for Defence. Major Cooper, Commanding Militia District, Thames.
No. 14. Major Cooper, Thames, to the Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. Sir, — Militia and Volunteer Office, Shortland, 7th May, 1874 I have the honor to forward a letter (24th April, 1874,) from Lieutenant Quinton, covering a copy of resolutions passed by certain members of No. 1 H.R.V., at a meeting at which Lieutenant Quinton (who commands the company, in consequence of Captain Lipsey having been suspended from duty by Major Gordon) was in the chair, and Sergeant Bell acted as secretary. As it is shown by these resolutions that Lieutenant Quinton allowed the members of his company to discuss the conduct of Major Gordon in his capacity as Inspecting Officer, and that Sergeant Bell gave his sanction to a proceeding so subversive of discipline, I deem it my duty to recommend that His Excellency the Governor be advised to dismiss Lieutenant Quinton and Sergeantßell from the Volunteer service, and to disband the company. As, however, the junior officer and several members of the company were absent from the district, and probably as the majority of those who were at the meeting acted from ignorance, I venture to hope that members of the corps who have earned capitation allowance for the last year, may be permitted to join No. 3 H.R.V., with the sanction of that company, and that that company may be allowed to estimate for and receive the capitation money now due. I have, &c, I. R. Cooper, Major, The Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. Commanding Thames District,
No. 15. Lieutenant Quinton, Shortland, to Major Cooper, Thames. Sir,— Shortland, 24th April, 1874. I have the honor herewith to enclose copy of resolutions passed at a meeting of the company held in the Volunteer Hall on the 23rd instant, and request that you will forward the same to the proper authorities at your earliest convenience. I have, &c, Major I. R. Cooper, J. Quinton, Lieut.; Commanding Thames District. Commanding No. 1. H.R.V.
Enclosure in No. 15. Memorandum. At a meeting of No. 1 Company, held in the Volunteer Hall, Shortland, on the 23rd day of April, 1874, the following resolutions were carried unanimously. Lieutenant Quinton in the chair: — " That, in consequence of Major Gordon's conduct to No. 1 Company during his annual inspection at the Thames, that company tender their resignation to the Government." Also, "A vote of confidence in Captain Lipsey." J. Bell, 24th April, 1874. Hon. Sec, No. 1 H.R.V. 3—H. 24.
H.—24
18
No. 16. Major Cooper, Shortland, to the Under Secretary for Defence, Wellington. Sib, — Militia and Volunteer Office, Shortland, 3rd June, 1874. In order to comply with the instructions of the Hon. Dr. Pollen, conveyed to me in your letter No. 201, I forwarded to Captain Lipsey certain questions bearing on Major Gordon's letter, which I now transmit to you, wnth the purport of his answers, and have the honor to make the following remarks on Major Gordon's report of his inspection of No. 1 H.R.V., for the information of the Hon. the Native and Defence Minister: — 1. Volunteer or Acting Quartermaster-Sergeant Bell, as recommended elsewhere, should be dismissed the service for being drunk at the inspection parade, and for his subsequent conduct. 2. I can hardly understand how the majority of the members of No. 1 H.R.V. then present on parade drilled so badly, as half the number present have been in either the imperial or colonial services, or had been efficient Volunteers before joining at the Thames, and, with two exceptions, the others had been for a considerable time Volunteers. Lieutenant Quinton, who resigned his first commission, and has had little drill since his re-election, probably put the men out, and thereby annoyed them, so that they could not or would not drill afterwards. 3. Captain Lipsey appears to have improperly explained himself to Major Gordon. If annoyed, he is apt to get confused. He now explains that he only intended to inform Major Gordon that some of the absentees who were at Waikato in the Engineer Volunteer Militia, some of whom had earned capitation allowance previous to leaving for Waikato, were allowed to remain on the books of the Thames companies, as many of them will return to the Thames; and I considered they could get leave from their own corps and drill with the Waikato companies, as Auckland Volunteers have often done at the Thames, and Thames Volunteers at Auckland or elsewhere. 4. Captain Lipsey appears, from his answer, to have understood my order for the Volunteers to parade on Sunday, as an order for Volunteers only who desired to attend church to muster at the parade ground. My orders relative to church parades have usually been of this nature, but the order for the inspection parade was a positive order, which Captain Lipsey should have obeyed, and he deserves a reprimand for not having attended. 5. Captain Lipsey should also be reprimanded for calling in the arms of his company without the authority of His Excellency the Governor ; but, according to his statement, he did so from good motives. 6. Captain Lipsey's answer to my question relative to. the men on parade being all recruits, makes it appear, either that he did not express himself correctly, or that he was not understood by Major Gordon. 7. Volunteer Plant was an efficient Volunteer for 1871-72 and 1872-73, and received clothing, but last year he did not attend parade, and no claim has been made for 1873-74. With regard to Volunteer Woon, he was some time in Captain Lipsey's company, and was credited with a number of parades he had attended with Captain Morrow's company before joining No. 1. H.R.V. in 1872, and it is evident that Captain Morrow was under the impression that Woon had been transferred to No. 1. H.R.V., otherwise he would not have asked Captain Lipsey to transfer him again to the Auckland Company, as his letter shows he did. In conclusion, I have the honor to make the following remarks on the whole question:—l venture to recommend that, as Captain Lipsey now expresses regret for what took place at the inspection, and as he has generally been an active officer, and for a considerable time regularly paraded more men at monthly inspections and weekly drills than is generally the case with Volunteer corps, that he shall be allowed to resign his commission, should His Excellency the Governor not be advised to disband the corps, as I have already recommended, and that Lieutenant Quinton and Volunteer Bell should be dismissed the service, the former for allowing himself to occupy the chair at a meeting of certain members of the corps, who made comments on Major Gordon's conduct as Inspecting Officer, and the latter for having been drunk on parade, and also for having taken part in and signed the minutes of said meeting. And further, should the corps be disbanded, that the other members be allowed to join No. 3 H.R.V., or other Thames corps who are below the maximum strength, such corps to be allowed to furnish supplementary capitation rolls for such members of the No. 1 H.R.V. as have become entitled to the grant for the Volunteer year 1873-74. I have, <fee, I. R. Cooper, Major, The Acting Under Secretary, Wellington. Commanding Thames District.
Enclosure in No. 16. Questions forwarded to Captain Lipsey by Major Cooper, and Answers given to them by the former Officer. 1. Why did Captain Lipsey allow Acting Quartermaster-Sergeant Bell to remain on parade in a state of drunkenness; and why did he not report the circumstance to Major Cooper, as directed by the Inspecting Officer ? —Captain Lipsey did not place Sergeant Bell under arrest because Major Gordon had taken over the command of the parade before Acting Quartermaster-Sergeant Bell fell in. Captain Lipsey was suspended, and ordered not to interfere in company matters, by Major Gordon ; therefore he did not report the circumstance of Sergeant Bell's misconduct till called on by Major Cooper to explain his reasons for not having done so. 2. To what cause does Captain Lipsey attribute the men of his company present on parade not being able to go through the rudimentary drill ? —Captain Lipsey considers the men lost confidence in themselves, and failed to drill as well as usual, owing to Major Gordon's severe comments on any blunders they made ; also, two recruits in the ranks probably put the others out. 3. Did Major Gordon understand Captain Lipsey correctly to have said, " that thirty of his men were at Waikato in the Engineer Volunteer Militia "?—Captain Lipsey intended Major Gordon to
19
H.—24
understand that from thirty to thirty-five members of the corps were absent, including a certain number in the Engineer Volunteer Militia. Of the thirty or thirty-five absent, some were on the Thames waterworks, and some at Puriri, and Captain Lipsey was unable to warn these men to attend parade. 4. Can Captain Lipsey explain why he said he thought Major Gordon could not see his corps on parade on Sunday; and can he give any reason why the corps did not attend the Sunday parade, as ordered by Major Cooper in District Orders ; or why he was present at parade in plain clothes without having asked Major Gordon's leave from parade ?—Captain Lipsey does not recollect making use of the words attributed to him, nor does he remember to have heard the question, but admits it was an error on his part not attending the parade, but at the time considered it optional for officers and men to attend parade on Sundays, as on former occasions Major Cooper's orders always left church parades optional. The men did not desire to attend this parade, as they had been subjected to a considerable amount of chaffing on account of certain remarks made by Major Gordon on the Friday before the parade, and therefore they were ashamed to turn out in uniform on Sunday. 5. Can Captain Lipsey give any reason or explanation for having ordered No. 1 Company Hauraki Rifle Volunteers to give in their arms and accoutrements without authority ?—The advertisement was inserted by Captain Lipsey at the. request of a considerable portion of the corps, who had intimated that they intended to resign, and the calling in of the arms, &c, was dictated by a desire to preserve and secure Government property, for which Captain Lipsey is held responsible by the Volunteer Acts aud Regulations. 6. Did Major Gordon understand Captain Lipsey correctly to have said, " that he was not to suppose he was going to claim capitation for the men he saw, as they were all recruits ? " —Captain Lipsey did not intend Major Gordon to understand that all the men on parade were recruits; he said, " two of the men were recruits." Captain Lipsey could not have said all were recruits, as he knew a number of them had belonged to the Imperial service. 7. Can Captain Lipsey offer any explanation relative to capitation money drawn by Volunteer W. Plant for 1872-73, who has written to Major Gordon, intimating that he ought not to have been on the capitation roll; also, relative to Volunteer Woon, who, Major Gordon says, was never in No. 1 Company ?—Volunteer Plant was enrolled in No. 1 Company on the 18th of July, 1871, and was an efficient Volunteer when he joined, having been in the Imperial service. He was a regular attendant at drill, and took an active part in the affairs of the corps, as is proved by the books of the company. He has drawn capitation money for 1871-72 and 1872-73, and has been provided with a suit of clothes at a cost of £4. He has not earned capitation money for 1873-74. With reference to Volunteer Woon's capitation money, Major Cooper will remember it was refunded to Captain Morrow, but Captain Lipsey is glad the question has been again mooted, as he is able to show the Government that he ought not to have been found fault with in the matter, as the annexed copy of a letter from Captain Morrow (discovered since the correspondence with the Defence Office took place) shows that Captain Lipsey had some reason to claim the capitation money for Volunteer Woon, and to consider him a member of his corps. Captain Morrow's letter points out that Volunteer Woon actually belonged to No. 1 Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, as it asks for his transfer at the end of the Volunteer year, and shows that it is a matter of doubt as to which corps should have the capitation money. Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 16. Captain Morrow, Auckland, to Captain Lipsey. Dear Sir, — Auckland, 29th April, 1874. Will you be good enough to forward, as soon as possible, Mr. W. G. Woon's transfer to my company, as the capitation returns must be sent in immediately. Mr. Woon has served with me five months, and I would be glad to know whether your claim or mine is the strongest to return him for capitation. He told me you promised to let him have the transfer from date of leaving, either in the latter end of November or early in December last year. Truly yours, Arthur Morrow, Captain, Captain Lipsey, No. 1 Royal Company, Commanding No. 4 Company A.R. Brigade. Bendigo Hotel, Grahamstown. Captain Morrow answered, and informed that capitation roll of corps had been already forwarded to Wellington, and that Volunteer Woon's name had been included, and also referred him to the latter part of clause 27 of the Volunteer Acts and Regulations, page 29. 30th April, 1873. F. L.
No. 17. Statement of Volunteer Woon. Auckland, 18th September, 1873. Extract. " But what I am now more especially writing for is to explain the late capitation affair. When I returned to Auckland I rejoined No. 4 Company here. I was told that my name was still on the books of No. 4, and that as I had never had a transfer, I consequently still belonged to No. 4 Company, and therefore was really never a member of No. 1. The captain of No. 4 asked me if I had been in any company at the Thames. I said,' Yes, in No. I.' Well, I was returned for five parades in Auckland, that leaving two then for the Thames; but, on the returns being sent to Wellington, Major Gordon was written to, requesting an explanation as to my capitation. I was then asked about it, and requested to send to Major Gordon a statement, which I did, and which was, I believe, sent to headquarters.
H.—24
20
" In the meantime, Captain Morrow had written to Captain Lipsey, but received no answer whatever. Captain Morrow then proposed to give Captain Lipsey another chance by writing again, but Major Gordon would not allow him to do so, and my statement was sent on. The rest you know more about than I do. " I hope you will, after reading this, acquit me of any blame as [to the above matter, as I assure you I was merely a private, and obeying orders. "Wm. G. Woon."
No. 18. The Under Secretary for Defence to Major Cooper, Thames. Native and Defence Office (Militia and Volunteer Branch), Sib,— Wellington, Ist July, 1874. In reference to your letter No. 482, of the 3rd June, I have the honor to inform you that His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to dismiss from the Volunteer Force Sergeant Bell, No. 1 Company Hauraki Rifle Volunteers, for being drunk on parade. His Excellency has also disbanded the No. 1 Company Hauraki Rifle Volunteers. I have, &c, W. Moule, Lieut.-Colonel, Major Cooper, Commanding Militia District, Acting Under Secretary for Defence. Thames.
No. 19. RETURN of the VOLUNTEER FORCE of NEW ZEALAND at the period of the Inspection of the several Corps by the Inspector of Volunteers, and showing the Numbers for whom Capitation was granted on 31st March, 1874. ADULTS.
Name of 'ommanding Officer of District, and Adjutant. Corps. 49 1 A . fl II DO n a 1*s Bra •as 3 p. < o n & on a © es "-' ~u © rH Jr 0 P4 J _ *4J E 5 rO a 3 Actual Number who received Capitation, 31st March, 1874. Remaeks. Full. Half. Total Auckland, lajor Gordon, Commanding Auckland Troop Cav. Otahuhu Cavalry Howick Cavalry Artillery Engineers No. 1 Rifles No. 2 Rifles No. 3 Rifles ... \ No. 4 Rifles ... j Victoria Rifles Hobson Rifles Otahuhu Rifles Scottish Rifles Naval 33 20 16 26 65 71 37 22 14 34 .10 34 10 15 52 76 19 24 27 39 46 82 81 76 15 55 81 19 28 29 44 55 37 32 84 Services discontinued. Services discontinued. 48 49 16 8 5 60 55 05 36 35 91 «{ 33 52 4 2 5 9 5 1 8 Not inspected. Waiuku. lajor Lusk, Commanding 23 57 Waiuku Cavalry Drury Cavalry Forest Rifles ... No. 1 Waiuku Rifles... No. 2 Waiuku Rifles... No. 1 Pukekohe Rifles No. 2 Pukekohe Rifles No. 3 Pukekohe Rifles Manukau Rifles Pokeno Rifles Wairoa Rifles Te Awamutu Cavalry 33 34 46 •18 38 42 40 46 27 23 47 68 33 81 21 42 44 37 41 37 41 24 21 43 55 "4 81 25 42 44 37 41 39 45 24 21 44 70 44 46 36 42 30 38 22 2 4 Not inspected. 43 1 15 Waikato. jieut.-Colonel Lyon, Commanding Cambridge Cavalry ... Waikato Rifles 51 87 32 26 30 2 52 28 Not inspected. Not inspected. Taranaki. lajor Stapp, Commanding Light Horse ... Egmont Rifles 49 88 41 28 82 1 23
LL—24.
21
ADULT! I— conth niiih Name of Commanding Officer of District, and Adjutant. Corps. Is f.1 U O $& I* H.S -3 S O 8 I H m 43 v | Actual Number who received Capitation, 31st March, 1874. Remarks. Full. Half. Total I Patea. Major Turner, Commanding "Wairoa Light Horse... Hawera Light Horse... Patea Rifles ... Wairoa Eifles 30 30 17 23 25 14 19 25 14 19 Did not parade; too wet Didnotparade; too wet Did not parade; too wet Wanganui. Major Noake, Commanding Wanganui Cavalry ... Alexandra Cavalry ... Veteran Eifles Wanganui Eifles 16 30 14 58 20 24 "i 2S Services discontinued. Services discontinued. 50 43. 43 Eangitikei. Major Willis, Commanding Victoria Troop Cavalry Turakina Cavalry Alfred Cavalry Lady Bowen Cavalry Union Eifles ... Eoyal Eifles ... Marton Eifles Turakina Eifles Manawatu Eifles 22 23 38 25 31 43 25 22 23 14 20 29 31 28 34 23 29 45 30 21 21 1 3 31 29 37 23 29 45 30 21 21 Not inspected. 31 38 22 12 Wellington. Lieut-Colonel Eeader, Commanding Not inspected. Major Lockett, Adjutant Artillery Porirua Eifles Veteran Eifles Veteran Band Makara Eifles Pauatahanui Eifles ... Karori Eifles ... Kaiwharawhara Eifles Highland Eifles Taita Eifles Hutt Eifles ... Wainuiomata Eifles ... Sir G. Grey Eifles ... 55 39 53 15 33 43 34 32 47 22 37 19 18 4(5 50 38 42 26 70 30 41 24 30 33 2 2 3 "l 41 28 73 30 41 24 31 33 19 4G 24 23 Not inspected. Not inspected. Not inspected. Not inspected. 86 88 46 24 23 19 Not inspected. Not inspected. Not inspected. G-reytown. Major Bunny, Commanding; Captain Cleland, Adjutant Grey town Cavalry ... Greytown Eifles Featherston Eifles ... 12 10 20 G 8 14 2 7 17 2 7 17 Masterton. Major Smith, Commanding; Captain Cleland, Adjutant Wairarapa Cavalry ... Masterton Eifles Carterton Eifles 15 35 88 5 22 17 28 28 Not inspected. Not inspected. Not inspected. Napier. Major Withers, Commanding Hawke's Bay Yeo. Cav. Napier Artillery Napier Eifles ... 22 44 37 22 "7 29 Te Wairoa. Sub-Inspr. Eichardson, Commanding Te Wairoa Eifles 30 Not inspected. Poverty Bay. Sub-Inspector Gudgeon, Commanding Tauranga and Opotiki. Inspector Eoberts, Commanding Mounted Eifles Gisborne Eifles 4S 35 27 25 27 25 Not inspected. Bay of Plenty Cavalry Tauranga Cavalry Tauranga Eifles Opotiki Eifles 32 22 3G 30 "7 27 25 10 34 22 2 27 10 31 22 Not inspected.
H.—24.
22
ADULT! !— contim ted. Name of Commanding Officer of District, and Adjutant Corps. 4_ A . M § n-j_ So 50 & CJ M 53 *m s^ a '5 S.S $rM ■"■3 o -1 6 fi EL m a M rt • ■si fl a ri — S? a P Actual Number who received Capitation, 31st March, 1874, Remarks. Full. Half. Total Thames. Major Cooper, Commanding Engineers Scottish Rifles Rifle Rangers No. 1 Hauraki Rifles No. 2 Hauraki Rifles No. 3 Hauraki Rifles Naval 91 68 75 74 50 126 70 32 20 34 11 09 88 60 55 51 100 3 2 S 91 62 63 51 114 Disbanded. Includes 20 Band — 15 Supernumeraries. Nelson. Captain Baigent, Commanding 4 Artillery City Rifles Waimea Rifles Stoke Rifles ... 66 39 33 26 56 35 22 25 63 28 29 16 12 29 2 63 40 18 Marlborough. Captain Baillie, Commanding Picton Rifles ... Spring Creek... Ren wick 46 31 32 39 27 29 89 27 29 Not inspected. Canterbury. Lieut.-Colonel Pa eke, Commanding Cavalry Lyttelton Artillery ... Lyttelton Artilly. Band Christchurch Artillery Timaru Artillery No. ] Engineers No. 2 Engineers No. 1 Rifles No. 2 Rifles No. 3 Rifles No. 4 Rifles No. 5 Rifles City Guards ... No. 9 Rifles 67 19 20 40 46 35 29 34 29 44 50 45 40 56 53 13 19 25 21 28 2 39 18 8 20 47 30 / 27 27 16 3 3 27 30 19 Did not parade. Did not parade. Did not parade. Did not parade. Did not parade. ib ib 80 14 12 10 14 28 Dunedin Band Invercargill Band Dunedin Artillery Invercargill Artillery Dunedin Naval Brigade Port Chalmers N. Brig. No. 1 Rifles No. 2 Rifles North Dunedin Rifles South District Rifles Waikari Rifles Bruce Rifles ... East Taieri Rifles West Taieri Rifles ... No. 1 Clutha Rifles ... No. 2 Clutha Rifles ... Oamaru Rifles Hampden Rifles Otepopo Rifles Waikouaiti Rifles Portobello Rifles Invercargill Rifles ... Riverton Rifles Queenstown Rifles ... Orepuki Rifles Invercargill High.Rfls. 32 27 49 80 88 60 60 48 51 52 31 45 34 53 39 35 41 36 52 40 42 56 56 54 33 40 22 8 17 32 34 22 44 21 30 31 15 30 14 11 30 Did not parade. Otago. Major Atkinson, Commanding 30 43 52 29 49 52 9 12 23 2 2 52 64 52 51 54 38 30 17 36 20 23 1 2 1 3 2 88 31 19 37" 23 25 Did not parade. 12 31 15 27 21 31 26 17 24 32 25 33 31 28 1 2 2 24 32 26 35 33 28 40 37 G 1 46 38 Not inspected. Not inspected. Westland. Captain Bonar, Commanding 50 58 82 17 1st Westland Rifles ... Totara Rifles Greymouth Rifles 40 23 59 40 39 45 2 ii 45
H.—24.
CADETS.
23
Name of District. Corps. c3 rfl ■*3 fl ii £ © OQ Ah ai TS fl _© M "-m 2 ° a _s W.2 .—. rl &r? 3 P. 6 &* m fl M fl . o 0> a 8 % 3 gPn Ph § (_ .rt t, <D a 3 fc Actual Number who received Capitation, 31st March, 1874. Remaeks. Full. Half. Total Auckland Engineer No. 1 Grammar School No. 2 Grammar School Brigade Victoria Sir G. Grey ... Naval Artillery 37 16 22 36 19 34 12 21 29 14 22 30 27 20 28 18 11 •14 12 a 4 18 8 30 26 28 22 24 47 12 Waiuku 31 Services discontinued. 21 Services discontinued. New corps. Forest No. 1 Waiuku No. 2 Waiuku No. 2 Pukekohe Manukau Pokeno 19 14 18 10 11 10 12 15 8 9 13 13 IS 10 9 10 3 1 16 14 18" 10 9 10 Not inspected. Not inspected. Waikato Waikato 18 10 10 Not inspected. Taranaki Egmont 30 20 20 3 23 Wanganui Wanganui 34 34 27 27 Rangitikei Marton 31 29 30 30 Wellington ... Wellington ... Grammar School Crof ton Hutt Trentham TeAro 30 57 18 9 14 100 28 29 34 3 32 34 Vacation. Not inspected. Not inspected. Not inspected. 98 9 5S 4 9 62 Grey town Featherston 6 5 5 Did not parade. Napier Napier 41 29 3 32 Not fit for inspection. Thames Engineer Scottish 42 42 28 17 37 30 6 37 36 Nelson City Wakefield Stoke 32 28 26 28 22 20 20 21 Not inspected. Not inspected. i 26 21 Marlborough ... Picton Blenheim 27 33 27 27 Canterbury ... Timaru Artillery High School ... 21 30 7 18 22 3 18 25 In vacation. Otago Dunedin Oamaru North Dunedin Port Chalmers Invercargill ... No. 1 City Guards ... Otepopo Queenstown ... 109 46 40 25 43 45 20 20 14 29 21 39 39 15 29 29 21 39 39 Schools in vacation. Schools in vacation. 12 Did not parade. Did not parade. 36 27 25 Did not parade.
H.—24
24
(FORM B.) Fob Aetilleby, Engineer, Rifle, and Naval Volunteers. We hereby certify— 1. That was enrolled in the on the 2. That he has during the past twelve months attended seven (7) parades. 3. That he has attended five (5) other parades or company drills. 4. That he possesses a competent knowledge of squad and company drill, including the manual and platoon exercises. For Artillery. —That he possesses a knowledge of gun drill, and of the general duties of a gunner. For Engineers.— -That he has been instructed in sapping and mining, and the mode of making gabions and fascines. For Naval Volunteers. —That he possesses a knowledge of gun drill, of the general duties of a gunner, and of the management of a boat either by sailing or rowing. 5. That he has not been absent without leave from two Government monthly inspection parades during the past year. Officer Commanding Corps. Adjutant. Certificate confirmed: Officer Commanding District. Head Quarters, 187 Note.—A parade, as referred to in section 2, shall mean a monthly inspection parade; and a parade or drill, referred to in section 3, shall mean a squad or company drill. No parade or drill will count unless it shall have lasted one hour from the time of falling-in to the time of dismissal, and unless one commissioned officer of the corps or non-commissioned officer of the permanent staff, at least, shall have been present during the whole time.
No. 20. Lieut.-Colonel Moule to Major Gordon. Native and Defence Office (Militia and Volunteer Branch), Sib,— Wellington, 6th November, 1873. Adverting to my letter No. 324-lc, of the 17th ultimo, transmitting your commission as Inspector of Volunteers, and to your telegram of the 3rd instant respecting the class firing for the current year, I have the honor to inform you that the nature of your appointment is only to inspect the Volunteer Force throughout the colony, and furnish a report thereon as soon as possible after that duty is completed. With regard to the allowance of £1 per diem, I have to remark that you will be entitled to draw the allowance from the day you leave home, and for each day you are absent therefrom while employed on this duty. I have, &&, W. Moule, Lieut.-Colonel, Major Gordon, Auckland. Acting Under Secretary for Defence.
No. 21. The Acting Under Secretary for Defence to the Offices Commanding Militia and Volunteers, Dunedin. Native and Defence Office (Militia and Volunteer Branch), Sir,— Wellington, 24th December, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of the application for the formation of the Caversham Company of Volunteers, which I forwarded for the remarks of Lieut.-Colonel Cargill on the 12th instant j and also an application from residents at Anderson's Bay for the formation of a new company of Naval Volunteers. I observe on both these papers Lieut.-Colonel Cargill has minuted "Referred to the Inspector," and I have to point out that this was not the correct channel, as Major Gordon's appointment is only to inspect and report upon existing corps. The documents should have been sent direct to this office, covered by any remarks that might be considered necessary by the Officer Commanding the district. In consequence of the memorandum by Major Gordon, each of the documents referred to will be h eld over until after the receipt of his report. I have, &c, W. G. Stack, The Officer Commanding (for the Acting Under Secretary for Defence). Militia and Volunteers, Dunedin. By Authority: Geobge Didsbvkt, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB74. Price Is.]
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1874-I.2.2.4.31
Bibliographic details
NEW ZEALAND VOLUNTEER FORCE, (REPORT BY MAJOR GORDON, OF INSPECTION OF)., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, H-24
Word Count
20,204NEW ZEALAND VOLUNTEER FORCE, (REPORT BY MAJOR GORDON, OF INSPECTION OF). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1874 Session I, H-24
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.