REPORT ON NEW ZEALAND FORCES.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1892 Session I, H-12

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1892. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT ON NEW ZEALAND FORCES.

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

The Acting Undee-Seceetaby for Defence to the Hon. the Defence Ministee. Sic, — Defence Office, Wellington, Ist July, 1892. I have the honour to submit for the information of His Excellency the Governor, Com-mander-iu-Chief, the annual report upon the Permanent Militia and Volunteer Forces of the colony, together with a report from Mr. Bell, Engineer for Defences, dealing with the general progress and construction of harbour-defence works, from which it will be seen that, while econony has been carefully studied, the works have made satisfactory progress. Permanent Artillery.— The officers, non-commissioned officers, and gunners of this branch of the Force maintain a good state of efficiency in gunnery, ordnance, small-arms drill, and theoretical instruction ; signalling by day with flags, and by night with lamps, &c.; and the state in which the batteries, guns, and appliances are invariably kept reflects considerable credit on all concerned. A new system of drill for breech-loading rifle, muzzle-loading rifle, breech-loading and quickfiring guns, on garrison mountings, has been compiled by the Master-gunner and Staff Artillery Sergeant, and is now in general use throughout the colony, and insures a uniform system. These drills are compiled from the drills in vogue in the Imperial service, but they have been modified to suit colonial requirements, as garrison mountings in the colony differ in many respects, but the Imperial Drinciple has been strictly adhered to. Instructors to Volunteer Corps and Schools. —In addition to utilising the services of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men extensively in instructing the Volunteers, which has been very satisfactorily carried out, and appears to be thoroughly appreciated by the citizen-soldiers, the Permanent Militia have, during the past year, rendered most useful service in drilling the State and other schools in the four centres, and arrangements are being undertaken by the Volunteer Drill Sergeants-Major at the smaller centres ; and the requests of the various School Boards are being attended to as far as practicable. Barracks. —I regret to have to report that an epidemic of typhoid fever broke out in the Mount Cook Barracks in February last. Nine men were attacked, two died; butthe cause of the outbreak has not been satisfactorily accounted for. As soon as the disease appeared in the form of an epidemic, the men were moved to Shelly Bay, placed under canvas, and, when the winter set in and it was too cold and stormy for tents, the men were moved to the upper portion of Mount Cook, into rooms formerly occupied by the prison officers ; where they still remain, while necessary sanitary and other improvements are being carried out in the Mount Cook Barracks. It has been stated that the outbreak of fever was entirely due to the old and dilapidated state of the barrackrooms; but such is not the case, as the two barrack-rooms in which the men attacked were housed are comparatively of modern date, having been entirely rebuilt within the last fourteen years. As soon as the men were moved into camp the disease quickly disappeared. Work done. —The work done during the past twelve months has been chiefly that which is necessary to make efficient gunners —namely, general artillery duties, service of ammunition, making up and storage of projectiles and cartridges, keeping the various emplacements and mountings clean and in a serviceable condition, mounting and dismounting guns, removing and storing ammunition, care of stores, magazines, barracks, &c, shipping guns, projectiles, and ammunition, and, generally, in all duties involving maintenance of batteries and armament in efficient order; while drills in all arms, lectures, &c, have been carefully attended to. Battery and station practices have been carried out with muzzle-loading guns, including firing at moving objects where ranges are available. as well as the usual carbine practice. Artificers. —The artificers attached to each battery have rendered good service, as, in addition to periodically overhauling the guns and mountings and doing all necessary repairs, they have made many improvements in the fittings of both guns and carriages, thereby saving considerable expense and adding to efficiency. It appears to me that as these men cannot rise to be non-commissioned officers, their pay should be increased at certain periods of service, as in this respect they are on a worse footing than their comrades. Transfers. —During the past year nine gunners have been transferred to the Police, and five to the Prisons Department; the men thus transferred invariably give satisfaction in both the police I—H. 12.

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and prison service, having been well grounded in discipline and subordination from the time of their enrolment in the militia. Conduct. —The conduct of the Permanent Militia has been, on the whole, good, though I regret to have to report that one gunner was convicted of embezzlement. Instructors. —The Master-gunner and two assistants (instructors) belonging to the Boyal Artillery continue to give satisfaction to all ranks, while the non-commissioned officers of the Force generally are well spoken of, and eulogised as instructors, by the Volunters and others who receive instruction at their hands. Torpedo Corps and Submarine Miners. —The officers, petty officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the corps have been practised in their duties as torpedomen and submarine miners periodically. The whole of the Government launches and torpedo-boats at the four centres are now in charge of, and are worked by, members of the corps. A class of men are now preparing for examination to obtain certificates in engine-driving. Eight men have already passed since this course of instruction was first initiated, and these men are now in charge of the various engines, boilers, and machinery at the different submarine mining stations. Practical Work. —The following practical work has been carried out by members of the corps during the past year : The wreck of the wooden barque " Willie McLaren," 870 tons, with 1,000 tons of coal, which was an obstacle to the navigation of Wellington Harbour, was successfully blown up by an explosion of gun-cotton charges. The wreck of the iron sailing-ship, " Lyttelton," 2,000 tons, which impeded the navigation at Tirnaru, was also successfully demolished by the same means. Eocks which have always been an obstacle in the way of navigation at Nelson Harbour were removed by successive charges of gun-cotton, and as a proof of the success of these operations it may be mentioned that the sailing-ship "Pleione," on her last visit to Nelson, which was after the removal of the rocks, though drawing more water than on her previous visit, was enabled to be berthed at the wharf immediately upon her arrival from England, whereas on her previous voyage she had to lay outside some four weeks and discharge 300 tons of cargo before being taken inside the harbour. There are still some more rocks at Nelson that require to be removed, and the work will probably be undertaken during the summer. 'Mihe-fields. —Considerable progress with the surveys of the mine-fields at Wellington and Auckland has been made, and both these fields will shortly be completed. Casualties. —The following casualties occurred in the Permanent Militia during the year: Deaths, 2 ; resignations, 11 ; discharges, 10. Recruits. —3l recruits have joined. They are of the usual stamp, robust, active, intelligent, and subordinate, and their conduct and progress in their duties is all that can be desired. The system of recruiting from men who have at least one year's efficient service in the Volunteers is answering well, and there is no abatement in the number of applicants. It has not been found practicable yet to give those men transferred to the Police and Prisons Departments an annual course of a fortnight's gun-drill, but the necessity for this is still manifest, and it is to be hoped will ultimately be brought into operation. Volunteers. —On the 31st December last, the active strength of the Volunteer Force of the colony was 6,582 of all ranks, as against 6,700 at the close of the previous year, and of these numbers 5,376 earned capitation last year, as against 4,939 the year before. This will no doubt be somewhat surprising to those sceptics who continually assert that the Volunteer movement is dying out, that the men are disheartened and disgusted with their treatment, and receive no encouragement ; but these fallacies are completely upset by the substantial increase of 437 efficients for the past year. No reliance can be put on the actual strength shown on paper, as many of the men whose names are retained on the rolls are absent from the colony, but as regards the number of those who have earned capitation there can be no miscalculation. Cavalry and Mounted Bifies. —There are 6 cavalry corps (North Island 4, South Island 2), with a total of 359 sabres ; while of mounted rifles there are 9 corps (North Island 6, South Island 3), with a total of 478. All these corps are drilled both as cavalry and infantry; they are all well mounted and good horsemen. • Naval Artillery. —There are 17 batteries (North Island 7, South Island 10), with a total of 1,155 of all ranks. These corps are visibly improving year by year, and there can be no reason for doubting that they would be most valuable auxiliaries to the Permanent Artillery and Torpedo Corps in time of need. Under instructors from the Permanent Militia, the majority of these corps have made considerable progress in big-gun drill, torpedo- and submarine-work, boat-drill, signalling, knotting and splicing, and the reports received from the instructors in these different drills is very encouraging, and reflects credit on the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men concerned. During last year 107 were passed as efficient in submarine mining, as against 72 in the previous year, and the same number passed in heavy-gun drill, as against 48 in the previous year. We therefore have 214 from these naval artillery corps receiving the extra £1 and efficiency badge — half the number for gun-drill, and half for torpedo- and submarine-work. Artillery (Field and Garrison). —There are 12 batteries (North Island 4, South Island 8), with a total of 633 of all ranks. The guns in use with the field batteries are now obsolete, and should be replaced as soon as possible. The mounting of 64-pounders at the drillsheds for the use of the garrison batteries has been much appreciated, and has added considerably to the efficiency of the corps. Engineers. —There are 3 companies of engineers (North Island 1, South Island 2). Each corps has purchased, and maintains, extensive appliances and tools, and they have made considerable progress during the year in engineer-work, under instructors from the Eoyal Engineers, and the Torpedo Corps Inspector reports favourably on all these three corps. Bifies. —There are 65 rifle corps (North Island 21, South Island 44), with a total strength of 3,751. These corps, while steadily improving in drill, maintain their reputation for good shooting; but in many of the town corps the commanding officers, owing to over-anxiety to increase their

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.numbers, do not appear to pay sufficient attention to the physique of their recruits, and in some corps men are to be seen in the ranks to all appearances unlit to bear arms, owing to youth and non-development; but these are the exception and not the rule. The attendance at drills during the year has considerably improved, and would be very much better if employers of labour would ■encourage their employes by occasionally giving them two or three hours' leave, but this is seldom done; and Ido not think the difficulty will be got over till statutory Volunteer holidays, or halfholidays, are proclaimed throughout the colony. It is clearly proved from the good attendance given to night parades by the Volunteers, after having undergone a hard day's work at their various avocations, that the same good attendance would be given to parades held during the day if the employers did not prevent their men from attending. Cadets. —The strength of this portion of the Force at the end of the past year was 2,111, being a decrease of lon the previous year. There are 38 corps (North Island 8, South Island 30). The cavalry carbines on issue to these corps are most unsuitable for boys, being clumsy and too heavy, and have a tendency to make the shoulder droop. It has therefore been decided to issue no more of these arms to cadet corps. The services of the members of the Permanent Militia have been placed at the disposal of the various Education Boards to act as instructors in the different schools for the purpose of teaching the children setting up physical drill, and marching without arms, while dressing the boys in uniforms is left quite optional. There can be only one opinion— viz., that these drills must be beneficial to the lads attending them. Honorary Reserve Corps. —There is one corps in Christchurch, with a total of 57; they are armed with Martini-Henry rifles, and are excellent shots, but I have never had the pleasure of seeing them on parade. Ambulance Corps. —Almost every corps can now boast of its detail of trained ambulance men, and medical officers deserve great praise for the trouble they have taken in training and making ■efficient in this particular branch so many men of their respective corps. Easier Camps. —Three small local camps were held last Easter at Wanganui, Christchurch, and the Bluff, at which about 500 attended ; but, owing to the bad weather experienced everywhere, very little drill could be carried out, and as it turned out it was fortunate that arrangements had not been made for bringing a larger number of Volunteers together. There is always a considerable risk of inclement weather when Easter falls as late as it did this year. Cavitation. —As regards capitation, I am of opinion that it should be divided up into so much for each parade, as described in last year's report, and so do away with the hardships that now exist, of the regular attendants of each corps having to continue to attend parades after they have earned capitation, to admit of the drones of the corps becoming efficients. This is unfair, and no doubt must militate against recruiting. The necessity of two-thirds of the corps being present to earn capitation might, I think, be modified to one-half with advantage. Owing to the courtesy of the senior naval officer of Her Majesty's ships in these waters, the Volunteers have had the opportunity on two different occasions of drilling with the officers and men of H.M.S. " Bingarooma " —viz., at Nelson during Jubilee, and at Auckland on the Queen's Birthday. These drills do an immense amount of good, and are much appreciated by the Volunteers, tending to considerably increase recruiting, and arousing an emulation in all ranks to attain a higher state of efficiency. I have, &c, A. Hume, Lt.-Col., N.Z.M. Acting Under-Secretary for Defence.

EEPOET UPON HABBOUB-DEFENCES FOB THE YEAB 1891-92. Temporary Prisons and Convict-labour. There has been no new departure during the year. The material points deserving notice in connection with the temporary prisons in which the convicts are housed on the works, and with the nature and value of their work, were fully dealt with in the reports for 1889 (H.-16) and 1890 (H.-15), and the remarks therein printed hold good as applying also to the present year ; but some 'additional remarks relative to the subject of convict-labour will be found below. Designs of Works. These have continued to be based upon the principle also detailed in the two reports above quoted. Progress of Year in Land Works. The work of the year has been chiefly comprised in carrying to completion those works which had reached an initiatory or advanced stage of progress at 31st March last, and in continuing the remodelling of certain of the 1885 temporary works on the lines indicated in last year's report. The general aim has been to endeavour to close up gaps in the lines of the approved scheme of defence, so far as entered upon or authorised. In the early part of the year an inspection of all the defence works, and especially those immediately in hand or proposed at the four ports, was made by the then incoming Minister of Defence ; and in his Public Works Statement (the Hon. Mr. Seddon also holding the portfolio of that department) the policy to be pursued with regard to the harbour defences was thus referred to : " In order to enable me to decide upon the policy to be pursued as regards the defences, I have during the recess made a minute and careful inspection of the whole of the batteries and other works at each of the four fortified ports, and have also studied the proposals of the experienced officers of the lioyal Engineers who have from time to time specially advised upon the defences of the colony. To a very considerable extent I find that the recommendations of these officers have been carried out, and the greater portions of the powerful armaments ordered from England have

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been emplaced in well-constructed batteries, with proper magazines, casemates, and other accessories, while satisfactory progress has also been made with the depots, equipment, and preparations for the submarine mining and torpedo defences. The vote proposed for the present year provides only for those works which it is absolutely necessary to carry to completion in order to put the defences of the harbours in a fairly-sound position. In this connection Auckland has been specially regarded by the Imperial authorities as a possible naval base in these seas ; and it is therefore advisable that the colony should, as far as possible, endeavour to justify the selection by providing such efficient defences to the harbour as will enable Her Majesty's ships to confidently take advantage of it. The same argument to a large extent applies to Wellington also ; and more especially in view of the recent special augmentation of the Australian Squadron and permanent stationing of war-vessels in New Zealand waters." The lines above indicated have been as closely as possible followed during the year. The smallness of the vote, however —£7,000 only —has prevented any substantial works being entered upon, and has necessitated the convict-labour being employed to a greater extent than usual on earthworks and other details not demanding outlay of moment for material, in order to keep within the mark. The expenses of the purely disciplinary supervision of prisoners are of such comparatively heavy and fixed nature that this class of labour ceases to be profitable in such operations as the defence works when the available margin of funds for material and direct construction is brought below a certain limit. The works at Otago Heads, mentioned in last year's report as having been definitely stopped at date 31st March, 1891, were resumed (in so far only as required by submarine defence) by authority in the following October. The prisoners did not leave the Heads during the interregnum, but were employed at general roadwork and stone-breaking at the charge of the Harbour Defences vote. Amounts voted for Harbour Defences. The subjoined schedule of the amounts voted for harbour defences since their inception in 1885 to the present year shows the rapid shrinkage of funds made available. •• • £ 1885-86 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 200,000 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 142,500 1887-88 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 80,000 1888-89 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 56,541 1889-90 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16,452 1890-91 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 13,000 1891-92 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7,000 Inspections. There have been no special visits of Imperial officers of eminence to the defences of the colony as a whole; but the captains of Her Majesty's ships visiting New Zealand waters have inspected some of the works, &c, in a more or less formal manner, and have communicated their impressions to the Hon. the Minister. Land Works uncommenced. With regard to those land works included in the complete scheme of defence upon which operations of construction have not yet been commenced or brought to any definite stage of design, no progress has been made during the year, as such works were not brought within the scope of authorisation; and the remarks under this head in the report of last year hold good. The same applies to questions of additional armament. Mounting of Ordnance. The racer for an additional Bin. B.L. 13-ton gun has been laid during the year, and the emplacements for two 64-pr. converted guns and one 64-pr. 8.M.L., and for two Q.F. guns, have been constructed, while the emplacement for a third Q.F. gun has been commenced. The two 64-pr. converted guns have been mounted ; the 64-pr. B.M.L. can be mounted at short notice, as can also the three Q.I I ', guns. Excluding the above, there still remain, out of the heavy ordnance at command in the colony, the following: — Bin. B.L. 13-ton guns ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 6in. B.L. 5-ton guns... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 7in. E.M.L. 7-ton guns ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 64-pr. E.M.L. 64-ewt. guns ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 The works for which the above B.L. guns are intended have not been authorised or entered upon, and the ultimate disposition of the above M.L. guns has not yet been finally determined. Of the ten Q.I* 1 , guns, emplacements are complete (and guns capable of being mounted) for nine; three additional emplacements are in hand, as these guns can serve more than one position on emergency. There are also ten Q.F. guns on travelling-carriages, available as they stand for field-service. It has been advised that six of these should be dismounted from their carriages and used as pivotally-mounted guns in fixed positions. The pillars for such mountings were made locally some years ago to the service pattern, but the necessary additional special fittings have not yet been authorised, and the final disposition of these guns is therefore indeterminate. Submarine Defence. The requirements for enabling the submarine defence of the ports to be rendered properly effective were generally pointed out at some length in the report of 1890 (H.-15), and it is therein

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stated that at that time '' there was much responsible and difficult work yet to accomplish when funds were available." In the report for the following year, 1891 (H.-24), it is stated that "the exigencies in this respect were fully pointed out in last year's report, but funds have not permitted during the past year the completion of equipment, &c, therein mentioned, the absence of which must handicap the attainment of the full result that the materiel is capable of giving if the facilities and conveniences established as essential by long-continued experience in submarine-mining work carried out at E.E. stations of the Imperial army are wanting." The funds and authorisations for the present year have equally forbidden the undertaking of these essential works, so that there is no progress to be reported in this important matter. As regards, however, actual marine operations, the largest and most difficult of the minefields has been surveyed in detail during the year, and the Torpedo Corps will be engaged forthwith in the practical preparations which follow upon the definite hydrographical and special information placed at their command by the completed survey and the plans and tables deduced therefrom. As regards the detail survey of the remaining minefields, it is the intention to have them also completed at as early a date as possible. The usual training of the Torpedo Corps, and testing of appliances and stores, has been kept up under the Inspector of Submarine Mining ; and this body of men, though small in number, are now brought to a satisfactory degree of efficiency in the specialised work connected with submarine defences. Practical experience has been obtained during the year in the blowing-up of wrecks and harbour obstructions at various ports. At the commencement of the present year the inquiries into the circumstances attending the unfortunate explosion of gun-cotton at Shelly Bay, by which two Torpedomen lost their lives, were proceeding. The findings of the Imperial naval officers, who acted as Eoyal Commissioners, and of the civil Courts, and the evidence adduced in either case, were duly forwarded to the Government, and it does not appear necessary, therefore, to refer to this matter further than to duly chronicle it in the events of the year. Stores. The whole of the valuable submarine stores and equipments in the colony are in the charge of the Torpedo Corps at the various stations, and are inspected at periodical intervals by the officer in command of the submarine-mining branch, and are all kept in excellent arrangement and condition. The guns, magazines, artillery stores, ammunition, &c, are under charge of the Permanent Artillery, and are reported on by the officers of that branch. The steam-launches, plant, gear, stores, appliances, &c, employed in and for the general carrying-on of the defence works have been maintained in an efficient and satisfactory condition throughout the year. Maintenance of Batteries, &c. The completed batteries, works, and stations, which have been handed over to the Artillery or Torpedo Corps, have been maintained, and various minor works required in connection with these executed during the year. The extent of this maintenance is small, the care given in original construction obviating the occurrence of any serious calls for repairs or replacements. General Information. Further information and suggestions connected with the perfection of the equipment and the fighting-powers of the guns and. submarine-mining appliances in possession of.the colony, and embodying also the latest ideas and results derived from experiments and trials of various improvements in means of defence at Home, have been forwarded during the year by the Agent-General and the Military Adviser. As regards information in the colony, the presence of Major-General Schaw, E. 8., C.B. (late Assistant Inspector-General of Imperial Defences at the War Office), has enabled me to continue to submit all questions of importance to so recognised an authority; and I would desire again, as in previous reports, to express the continued obligations of the department to this distinguished officer, whose experience and advice have always been so readily placed at its service. Commandant of the Forces. The departure from England for the colony of the Commandant is announced at the close of the year. The arrival of Lieut.-Colonel Fox will presumably bring the harbour defences, equally with more directly military questions, under special consideration. Land for Sites. In the early part of the year the award of the Compensation Court for land taken for the submarine depot at Auckland had to be discharged. The amount of the award was £1,500, which, with all due regard to the Court, was an exorbitant price. Contingent expenses of witnesses, law charges, &c, have brought the sum-total on this account to close upon £1,650, thus causing a serious handicap in the small vote of £7,000 at the outset of the year's operations. There have been no further transactions of moment during the year in regard to sites, and there are no actually existent outstanding claims, except for a long-pending settlement with Natives for land at Otago Heads, delayed through non-sitting of a Native Land Court. The amount involved is about £200. Expenditure. With regard to expenditure during the year, provision for both materiel of war from England —which has always been charged to Loan Fund—as well as all charges for prison-labour and 2—H. 12.

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material on works (which during the last few years has been provided for by a vote on the Consolidated Fund), was made for the year by a single vote out of Loan Fund of £7,000, against which appears a net expenditure of £7,347, or an excess of £34-7. This excess is primarily accounted for by the heavy charge for land at Auckland above mentioned, and partly by the reduction of the originally-proposed vote of £10,000 to £7,000 when the year was one-third past. The liabilities at the 31st March may be set down at £893 upon material and £834 upon works, which will merge in any vote that may be passed for the current year's expenditure. The total outstanding liabilities at the 31st March may therefore be set down at £1,727. The full originally-ordered equipment of material having been received and paid for, provision for further orders of such is now made in the votes for the maintenance of the permanent forces, and consequently the liabilities are vanishing. The amount stated is for provision of certain submarine gear short of -original establishment. The liabilities for works are merely the amounts of outstanding items and wages which would be due if the works were stopped, with an allowance for contingencies ; for, as the works are carried on by prison-labour, they are capable of being wound up at any moment by the simultaneous discharge of the convicts from the temporary prisons, and of the outstanding accounts. And there are no actually existent liabilities for land-purchases, beyond the amount above mentioned. The values of lands acquired, owing to the exigencies of negotiations, in excess of actual requirements, and of the engines, plant, &c, on the works, amount, at a low valuation, to about £10,000. This sum is an asset against the cost of the defences and against the liabilities at any date at which the works might be discontinued. The total actual expenditure on harbour-defences up to the 31st March, 1892, together with the liabilities at that date, amount to, in round numbers, £478,000, of which it so happens at this year's balance that exactly one-half, or £239,000, represents cost of material of war from England and miscellaneous charges connected therewith, and the other half, or £239,000, the cost of works in the colony. Of this latter sum, about £36,500 represents cost of land, and the remainder, £20-2,500, the cost of forts, batteries, submarine defences, steam-launches, reports of Eoyal Engineer oflicers, engineering, supervision, and all other charges. The usual return is attached to this report, giving, under some principal subdivisions in tabular form, the total expenditure upon the harbour-defences of the colony from the first steps taken up to the present date. Aethue Bell, M.lnst.O.E., 31st March, 1892. Engineer for Defences.

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HARBOUR DEFENCES. Table I. Return showing the Expenditure on Harbour Defences, in detail, from their Commencement to the 31st March, 1892, also Liabilities at that Date.

31st March, 1892. Aetitce Bell, Engineer for Defences.

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Classification. Total Expenditure 1879-79. .1979-80. 1S80-S1. 1883-Si.* 1881-85. up to 31st'March, 1885. t 1 1885-86. 1886-87. 1387-88. 1838-89. 1889-90. Total Expenditure 1890-91. 1891-92. 31st March, 18S5, up to 31st March, 18924 Great Totals Expenditure from 1878 to 31st March, 1892. § Grand Total Liabilities Expenditure known to and exist at Liabilities 31st March, at 1892. 31st March, 1892. I.—Matebial ibom England. £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ K.B.L. guns and carriages, etc. ... R.M.L. guns and carriages, Sue..'., iField-guns and carriages, service pattern ... Machine-guns and carriages Ammunition... War Office stores: Miscellaneous equipments ... Military Adviser to Agent-Q-eneral Torpedo-boats Whitehead torpedoes and air-compressing machinery Submarine mining stores for submarine defence of ports ... Miscellaneous charges : Freight, insurance, shipping, &c. 2s',357 26,357 35,149 4,203 38,034 11,189 17,770 354 102,142 4,557 800 13,813 23,721 102, 142 30,914 900 13,813 24,530 900 1,746 3,352 ... 10 799 "809 3,504 6,"393 11,890 5,674 4,975 ... 4,830 4,830 "514 3,976 1,986 486 523 121 344 392 330 129 342 291 5,104 4,330 9,934 4,330 11,036 100 ... I I 6,300 4,736 llJ036 8,104 685 375 4 9,168 9,168 873 32,055 2,096 3,260 O. || 619 17.G65 17,665 857 416 2,227 3,500 339 2,027 3,539 3,370 900 10,175 13,675 793 Totals 5,697 27,572 I 6,300 46,532 51,813 53,579 46,075 35,079 4,886 Or. 148 291 191,575 238,107 893 239,000 6,963 ■ I II. —WOEKS IN THE COLONY. Defence works generally : Batteries, depots, launches, engineering, and miscellaneous charges Purchases, &c, o"f land : Sites for depots and batteries i 912 ! 2,638 10,257 713 532 905 5,700 58,081 74,429 25,806 12,770 9,195 5,410 195,918 201,648 63 i 202, 282 ... " 17,273 11,421 1,578 2,240 1,671 " 689 1,646 36,518 36, 518 200 38,718 Totals 713 532 905 912 2,638 5,700 75,354 85,850 27,384 15,010 10,866 10,946 7,056 : 232,466 238,166 834 239,000 Totals I.jtnd II. 6,410 28,104 905 73,459 50,089 15,752 10,798 7,347 J 424,041 476,273 1,727 7,212 9,601 52,232 127, 167 139,429 478,000 I * There was no expenditure for the years 1881-82 and 1882-83. t At this date (31st March, 1835) the actual construction of defence works commenced. The expenditure in the colony prior to this date was— (a) For surveys and other expenses incidental to the visits of Colonel Soratehley, R.E., and Major Cautley, R.E., to report upon the defences of the colony; (b) the salaries and travelling-expenses of those Imperial officers ; (c) the landing, transport, storage, and care of R.M.L. puns and ammunition, and of torpedo-boats; and (d) other miscellaneous charges. t This column represents the expenditure oa all accounts incurred since the actual construction of the defence works commenced —namely, from 31st March, 1835, to 31st March, 1392. § This column represents the sum of the separately-shown expenditures of the two periods assigned in the two preceding notes. [J The total expenditure on submarine stores was £198 ; but £1,117 was recovered, chiefly by insurance on cable, &c, lost in the " Assaye," making a credit balance of £619.

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Table II. Return of Volunteers to the 31st December, 1891.

District. Corps., Cavalry. Onrrw [Mounted Corps. Biflegfnrns Naval Corps. UrtiUery. Corps. Artillery. Corps. Engineers. Corps. Eifles. Corps. Col 'P s -: Total. Corps, i Cadets. . I I Auckland Thames Waikato Poverty Bay Napier Taranaki Patea Wanganui Kangitikei Wairarapa Wellington 9 ! 1 J 150 60 2 105 1 48 5 319 ' 10 1 3 2 1 4 1 2 4 5 3 7 622 60 164 104 52 241 63 127 259 238 147 480 1 '67 i 1 - 48 49 1 1 49 55 'I I ~52 ! 1 57 1 '(33 2 1 121 63 1 1 63 42 * • '2 127 1 1 '(33 48 1 '48 1 i 67 2 3 3 3 129 162 147 226 1 106 1 '62 "2 I 145 1 - 47 I I 3 2 133 121 1 4 I I 1 i [ Total North Island 230 334 479 4 215 48 21 1,271 •• 43 ;^577_| 8 465 I ! I Nelson Marlborough Westland Canterbury, North South .. Oamara Dunedin .. .. .. Invercargill 'i 75 1 1 *88 38 2 i 1 1 1 1 3 1 120 68 66 66 75 190 91 1 2 1 1 2 1 60 112 57 49 92 48 •■ 1 '37 3 2 6 9 5 4 11 4 159 140 387 435 250 237 650 222 1 '57 3 7 16 70 339 198 455 820 373 409 J 1,050 361 4,005 2 2 2 4 5 11 2 112 101 94 263 86 299 604 87 1 54 1 "43 1 *64 ., Total South Island I 1. 2 10 1 2 1 I 57 30 129 144 676 8 418 101 ! 44 2,480 70 1,646 Total all New Zealand 1 I I 1 1 1 1 1 6 359 478 17 1,155 12 633 149 65 3,751 57 113 6,582 38 2,111

H.—l2.

Table III. Return of Volunteer Corps attending Local Encampments (Easter), giving Strength of Corps and Numbers present and absent.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, nil; printing (1,400 copies), £7 ss.

By Authority: Geoege Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB92. Price 6d.}

3—H. 12.

9

Camp. Corps. Present. Total present. Absentees. Strength of Corps. Wanganui... Wanganui N avals ... „ Eifles ... Albert Garrison Band Palmerston North Eifles Manchester Eifles ... Staff, District 34 21 12 19 44 8 1 35 39 37 3 20 43 69 60 49 22 64 51 1 139 Christchurch Canterbury Mounted Eifles ... Christchurch City Guards ... Bichmond Eifles ... Christ's College Eifles Christchurch „ Sydenham „ 38 42 21 9 30 1 4 2 14 34 13 41 42 44 35 43 43 42 141 Jamaru North Otago Mounted Eifles 25 25 23 48 .nvercargill G Battery City Guards Bluff Naval Artillery Garrison Band 30 41 80 16 10 10 12 4 40 51 92 20 ilenley 167 24 54 Otago Hussars 30 30 502 368 370