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