VOLUNTEER FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND (REPORT ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1881 Session I, H-23

H.—23

1881. NEW ZEALAND.

VOLUNTEER FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND (REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The ITndek-Secbetaby for Defence to the Hon. the Defence Mintstee. Sic, — Defence Office, Wellington, Ist June, 1881. I have the honor to forward you returns showing the strength and distribution of the Volunteer Force on the 30th April, 1881, and of the ordnance and small arms on issue in the various districts. The returns show a decrease of 17 adult and 9 cadet corps, and a total decrease in numbers of 1,325 adults and 966 cadets. Of the 17 adult corps disbanded, 12 were in the Taranaki and Patea District, and formed part of those which had only been embodied in 1879 for the protection of the district, at a time when serious disturbances with the Natives seemed imminent. As soon as the continuance of their services no longer existed, the men asked to be disembodied, so that they might be relieved from training and enabled to resume their ordinary avocations, which had been seriously interrupted by the threatened disturbances. There having been no official inspection of the force during the past year, I called upon Officers Commanding Districts to report upon the state of the corps under their command, and their reports have been generally very satisfactory The attendance at drill has been good, and the interest in the Volunteer movement not diminished in consequence of the reduced rate of capitation allowed for the past year. Facilities have been given for importing regulation uniforms from England, through the Government, on moderate and favourable terms, of which several corps have already availed themselves, and more are anxious to do so. Camps were held at Easter in the Waikato, at Nelson, and at Oainaru, with considerable success. The meeting in the Waikato was attended by a total strength of 1,017, furnished from all parts of the Auckland District. At Nelson the muster was 526, of which upwards of 300 went over from Wellington. At Oamaru the total number assembled was 1,166, representing corps from Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, and Lake Districts. The force is now well supplied with small arms, but the want of sufficient light ordnance for the Artillery and Naval Brigades is much felt. I strongly recommend a revision of the Volunteer Regulations, and that the work be intrusted to a Board of Volunteer officers, of experience in the force, who would be best able to suggest what alterations are required to promote the interest and well-being of the movement. I have, &c, H. E. Eeadeb, Lieut.-Colonel, The Hon. the Defence Minister, Wellington. Under-Secretary, Defence.

Beturn of Small Arms and Ammunition. Rifles, Sfc. —In Store and on Issue — Snider (all sizes) —On issue ... .. .. .. 6,883 In store .. .. .. 3,595 Expected from England* .. ... 500 Enfield— In store ... .. ... ... 10,326 On issue ... .. ... ... 1,322 Ammunition — Snider—ln store ... .. .. .. .. 1,265,884 Enfield—ln store ... ... ... ... ... 204,592

* Since arrived.

EL—23.

Oadet Arms — f Muzzle-loaders f On issue 744 n. %.• j 5 , (In store ... 67 Carbines ■< m , " > . & _"' ) Terry s C On issue* .. .. 769 L „ (In store* .. 156 Ammunition Muzzle-loaders (Enfield ammunition used).

* For drill purposes only.

Return of Volunteers on 30th April, 1881.

Return showing Distribution of Ordnance.

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"an ile; ;( Arms — ( Muzzle-loaders f On issue Carbines ) T , » \ *n store # - ) Terry s C On issue* .. L „ (In store* Ammunition Muzzle-loaders (Enfield ammunition used). 744 67 769 156 * For drill purposes only. Retukn of Voluuteebs on 30th April, 1881. District. Cavalry. Artillery. Engineer. Eijle. Naval. Total. Cadets. Kemarks. Auckland Waiuku Waikato Taranaki Wanganui, Patea, and Rangitikei Wellington and Wairarapa.. Napier Poverty Bay Thames 84 86 469 104 743 58 ... ... 155 ... 213 190 ... .. ... ... 190 63 ... ... j 386 ... 449 193 ... ... 539 ... 732 "58 1 go 63 193 84 86 469 ■55 104 121 386 539 7 1 59 45° I5 I 73i 61 ... 57 ... 118 75 - 75 112 434 162 708 7 1 61 75 59 45° 57 ISI 95 3'8 Decrease since March 31, 1880:— 112 434 162 33 93 Totals TJokth Island ... 5°4 291 257 2,490 417 3.959 660 North Island. Adulta ... i,218 Cadets .. 210 kelson ... Marlboro u gh ... ... Canterbury 83 163 243 191 187 557 120 60 306 243 581 25' 956 43° 210 75 138 43 210 567 46 106 South Island. Adults ... 107 Cadets ... 756 119 119 64 15° 163 80 61 9i Oainaru Dnnedin Invercargill Lake Westland H7 249 130 197 197 Totals South Island ... 266 659 61 1,788 400 3.'74 1.18S Totals all New Zealand 770 95° 318 4.278 8.7 7.133 1,845 Eettjen si. owing Distbibtjticxn" o: Oedn. .NCE. Distribution. Armstrong. 24-pr. Howitzers. 7-ton Guns. 04-pr. G-una. Mortars. Iron Guns, various. 40-pr. 12-pr. J I 6-pr. Yrmed Constabulary Force, Taranaki luckland Cliames 3isborne Sfapii-r Wellington kelson ... rimaru 1 2 2 4 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 "a )amaru ... ... 3unedin Port Chalmers !nvercargill Jueenstown ... 9 "i 1 1 1 2 1 1 i 2 2 2 1 i )n issue to Volunteers ... n store ... ... ... 1 6 10 10 11 II 4 i 11 4 Totals ... 15 10 10 11 11 11

"an ile; ;( Arms — ( Muzzle-loaders f On issue Carbines ) T , » \ *n store # - ) Terry s C On issue* .. L „ (In store* Ammunition Muzzle-loaders (Enfield ammunition used). 744 67 769 156 * For drill purposes only. Retukn of Voluuteebs on 30th April, 1881. District. Cavalry. Artillery. Engineer. Eijle. Naval. Total. Cadets. Kemarks. Auckland Waiuku Waikato Taranaki Wanganui, Patea, and Rangitikei Wellington and Wairarapa.. Napier Poverty Bay Thames 84 86 469 104 743 58 ... ... 155 ... 213 190 ... .. ... ... 190 63 ... ... j 386 ... 449 193 ... ... 539 ... 732 "58 1 go 63 193 84 86 469 ■55 104 121 386 539 7 1 59 45° I5 I 73i 61 ... 57 ... 118 75 - 75 112 434 162 708 7 1 61 75 59 45° 57 ISI 95 3'8 Decrease since March 31, 1880:— 112 434 162 33 93 Totals TJokth Island ... 5°4 291 257 2,490 417 3.959 660 North Island. Adulta ... i,218 Cadets .. 210 kelson ... Marlboro u gh ... ... Canterbury 83 163 243 191 187 557 120 60 306 243 581 25' 956 43° 210 75 138 43 210 567 46 106 South Island. Adults ... 107 Cadets ... 756 119 119 64 15° 163 80 61 9i Oainaru Dnnedin Invercargill Lake Westland H7 249 130 197 197 Totals South Island ... 266 659 61 1,788 400 3.'74 1.18S Totals all New Zealand 770 95° 318 4.278 8.7 7.133 1,845 Eettjen si. owing Distbibtjticxn" o: Oedn. .NCE. Distribution. Armstrong. 24-pr. Howitzers. 7-ton Guns. 04-pr. G-una. Mortars. Iron Guns, various. 40-pr. 12-pr. J I 6-pr. Yrmed Constabulary Force, Taranaki luckland Cliames 3isborne Sfapii-r Wellington kelson ... rimaru 1 2 2 4 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 "a )amaru ... ... 3unedin Port Chalmers !nvercargill Jueenstown ... 9 "i 1 1 1 2 1 1 i 2 2 2 1 i )n issue to Volunteers ... n store ... ... ... 1 6 10 10 11 II 4 i 11 4 Totals ... 15 10 10 11 11 11

H.—23.

Return of the Strength of the Volunteer Force, and How Armed.

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District. Corps. I O fl q § t 1 -I a x 6JD a tn so <! "c S g 6£ SB 3 1 CO CQ [ 3 0 m i ! h I ID IH IB H <s E g a 3 1 Is s is Suidera. Cadet Arms. 2 ■? pi O § 1 d "r, "o. si O 3 ,1 I K 8 uckland V"aiul<u Vaiiato ranganui, Patea, and Rangitikei Staff A Battery Engineers Victoria Rifles No. 3 Company Rifles Hobson Rifles Otahuhu ,, Scottish „ Whangarei ,, Coromandel,, Naval Brigade Artillery Cadets Engineer „ Stall' Waiultu Cavalry PukHkohe Rifles ... Tua&au Wairoa ,, Staff Waikato Regiment of Cavalry Stuff Mounted Rifles Taranaki „ Waitara ,, Manulahi ,, Kent Road Mangorei Rifles ... Okato Rifles Oakura ,, Bell Block Rifles .. Urenui „ No. I Ingle wood Rangers Staff Alexandra Cavalry... Wairoa Light Horse Cavalry Han era „ Wanganiii Rifles Wanganui City Rifles Waverley ,, Royal Manchester ,, Palmerston North „ Patea „ Norman by „ Wanganui Cadets ... Patea ,, Staff D Battery Engineer Sub-Marine Miners Wellington City Rifles Miiknra ,, Kaiwarawara „ Guards ,, Naval Brigade Collfge Cadets Te Aro School Cadets Naval „ Mount, Cook School Cadets ... Artillery* „ City Rifle* „ Staff Greytown Rifles Master! on „ Carterton „ Masterton Cadets Staff F Battery Napier Rifles Staff J Battery... Artillery Cadets Staff Engineers No. 1 Scottish Rifles No. 2 No. 3 Rangers, Rifles Native „ Naval Brigade 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ' I I > I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 j 1 1 1 1 2 j 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I I I I 1 1 I I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 l 7 4 C 7 4 4 I 4 4 6 8 4 S 3 i E 4 1 5 4 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 73 77 77 78 75 27 39 42 II 62 46 5° 40 54 42 162 5 2 48 27 68 45 36 25 24 11 46 J6 48 81 91 87 34 54 53 55 47 45 35 45 84 86 86 89 84 35 45 48 82 104 68 53 58 47 60 48 190 6.3 55 3 2 75 54 4 1 29 3° 16 54 45 56 9 2 102 100 42 64 61 62 5 7 5' 42 53 18 88 08 49 8i 75 73 84 I [4 94 IO5 40 54 2 5 25 "40 53 42 57 44 70 5' 60 28 33 3° 75 1 100 100 40 72 73 55 56 67 2 56 45 2 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 j -2 1 I 1 1 i 1 4 S 12 "58 5° 1 1 'ellington 1 2 7 4 8 "61 70 6 1 1 1 r 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 4 6 1 1 1 1 1 5° 7 1 44 56 8.5 130 52 90 45 85 7 1 59 83 5' 64 97 '5' 55 9 1 5° 92 119 "69 80 59 49 86 1 1 1 13 2 1 1 1 1 3 4 1 1 1 1 3 3° 5° Vairarapa I S 7 3 3 46 40 44 34 53 5 1 5' 40 75 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 80 70 fapier 1 1 I 1 12 1 1 I I I 4 5 53 46 61 57 53 1 1 7° 'overty Bay 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 5 2 66 28 75 33 100 48 'hamee 1 1 i I 1 '2 100 118 86 37 103 46! 147 112 130 96 41 116 119 129 9' 64 87 37 2 I 3 2 I s 3 7 2 9 I I r 2 2 1 1 1 I 51 162 129

H.—23.

By Authority: G-eoege Didsbuet, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBl.

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District. Corps. a o rc O A a I 0 3 1 I "5 a I £ in O o I g S h w S 'I o e ft s is 1 o o b I inidcri D b ■ pi a I 3 Cm An I ,5 S o B H let as. .9 O in M cp S S o -■ a O 1 a "5 P "3 ft I 8 1 i F1 larlborough Canterbury •amaru Thames— contd. felson lunedin Scottish Cadets Natal „ Staff H Battery City Rifles Sfo'ke Rifles Waimea Rifles Naval Brigade City Cadets* College Cadets Artillery Cadets* ... Staff Pieton Rifles Spring Creek Rifles Ren wick ,, Blenheim „ Pieton Cadets Blenheim Cadets Staff Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry C Battery E „ .Engineersf Teinuka Rifles City Guards Rifles .. Ashburton „ Naval Brigade Artillery Cadets (Timaru) Engineer^ „ Staff I Battery.. Hampden RifleB Oamaru „ Otepopo „ High School Cadets North School „ Cilizenf „ Staff B Battery Ij ,, City Guards Rifles ... North Dunedin Rifles Waikari „ South District „ Clutha „ Bruce „ East Taieri ,, Porfcobello „ Waikouaiti „ Duuedin Naval Brigade Port Chalmers „ City Guards Cadets High School „ South District School Cadets... North „ „ Middle Normal School Cadets Waikouaiti „ Dunedin Naval ,, Staff Garrison Band Southland Regiment of Hussars G Battery K Riverton Rifles Invercnrgill Rifles ... Artillery Cadets Staff ' .. M Battery Arrow Rifles Cromwell Rifles Queciistown Cadets Arrow Cadets Staff Westland Rifles ... Grey mouth „ Grey mouth Cadets* I i 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 I 1 I I I i i l i I I I 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 I I I I I I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 I I 1 . I i i i I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "' " 1 I ! ] 1 1 1 1 l 2 3 5 7 4 4 5 4 4 5 4 6 S 4 4 3 5 6 S 4 4 4 4 .1 6 6 4 6 4 5 4 6 1 I 1 1 1 1 I 2 1 2 31 49 70 40 58 40 5 1 34 49 67 46 53 52 73 106 60 39 52 69 47 49 81 39 54 36 83 43 82 67 4i "60 69 64 37 56 83 5° 64 49 60 4i 58 74 51 60 59 79 119 70 49 61 78 56 57 9' 43 64 43 92 52 89 74 47 69 81 59 83 "do 40 4" 5° 100 78 38 56 35 5 2 32 43 36 45 89 3° 70 70 5° 23 "6oj I ... 42 43 56 10 37 3° 5° .SO 20 70 60 1 I I i 1 I j I 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 '5 6 93 58 61 100 65 76 5° 68 60 62 1 1 1 5° 5i 42 58 48 61 I 1 i I I 1 1 5° 65 57 70 5 1 52 '5° 99 44 54 67 100 1 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 l t 1 1 1 1 1 44 45 128 90 37 47 59 90 92 90 45 44 39 52 59 I "3 1 81 77 1 1 1 2 1 ... I I 1 1 4 4 S 6 5 7 3 S 47 49 44 119 49 85 40 I I 1 1 1 1 I 1 2 I 1 1 100 1 I 1 1 100 1 5° 52 I 1 80 [nvercargill 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 3 6 I 28 129 55 5<> 57 42 4' 31 H7 66 66 68 52 46 80 75 I 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 5 5 4 3 l 67 67 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 60 iake I 1 1 1 I I 1 1 1 s s 5 4 4 J I 1 7 2 48 63 46 47 80 57 73 53 53 47 66 60 '4 Pestland I I 1 1 1 1 7 4 I 123 54 136 61 121 58 I I 2 ] 1 1 I mded, Lll(l(