H.—l7.

principal ports in the working of the heavy batteries about to be erected, for which a special allowance will be granted for each drill required of them. The regulations framed according to these provisions met, I am assured, with general approval with few exceptions throughout the colony, as it was felt by all who had the good of volunteering at heart that they would tend to tbe establishment of stricter discipline, and therefore greater efficiency, uniformity of dress, and more general attention to training and musketry practice. The appointment of properly-qualified staff officers to districts has already effected a marked improvement. This is especially apparent in Canterbury, where the interest in Volunteer matters had in past years declined to such an extent that of rifle corps only one existed in Christchurch at the end of last year and for a long time before. On the present regulations coming into effect three new corps were raised at once, and when I passed through Christchurch in April last I was surprised to find them already not only very proficient in company drill, but showing they were rapidly acquiring a knowledge of battalion drill, several movements being executed by the five corps on parade in a manner most creditable to themselves and the officers who trained them. I heard very good accounts of both the Dunedin and Oamaru corps, but I regret that my visit South on Constabulary matters was so hurried as to give me no opportunity of seeing any of the Southern Volunteers on parade, except in Christchurch as I have stated, where the monthly parade of all corps happened to fall on one of the days I was detained there. In the North Island I have had no opportunity of seeing anything of the corps since the reorganization, except in Wellington, where I can with confidence assert that the Volunteers were never in a better condition than they are now. An annual inspection of all corps by a thoroughly competent officer would be very desirable, and highly appreciated by all members of the force. I have, &c, H. E. Reader, Lieut.-Colonel, The Hon. the Defence Minister, Wellington. Under-Secretary for Defence.

Return of Small Arms and Ammunition.

Return of Volunteers to the 31st December, 1882.

2

Bifles, dc. —In Store and on Issue— Snider (all sizes)—On issue In store Enfield—In store On issue 5,317 6,129 10,402 1,091 Ammunition — Snider—In store ... ... ..." Enfield—In store Cadet Arms — 1,340,296 520,780 ("Muzzle-loaders (On issue ... ....-, i . ,, [In store -Carbines Terry>s " On issue ... ( ,, (In store ... 246 457 94 783 * For drill purposes only.

Cavalry. Artillery. Engineer. Rifle. Naval. Total. Cadets. District. ft g Strength. D & Strength. o j Strength. O m g Strength. o CD S 1 Strength. O g Strength, o & Strength. 1 o Auckland Waiuku Waikato Taranaki Wanganui, Patea, and Bangitikei .. Wellington Napier Poverty Bay Wairarapa Thames 1 84 1 79 5 1 367 50 1 78 8 2 1 13 608 105 130 543 1 57 1 •1 2 55 130 83 ii 460 3 200 1 1 1 87 54 101 1 46 8 4 1 624 233 41 1 1 97 203 12 7 2 1 3 i 921 569 95 101 185 405 2 3 122 226 1 97 *8 2 185 148 1 160 ' 1 1 125 64 Total N. I. .. 468 326 222 35 2,108 538 53 3,662 594 kelson Marlborough Canterbury Oamaru Dunedin Invercargill Lake Westland 1 181 1 2 1 2 2 1 90 163 78 122 140 66 3 3 3 8 9 2 2 3 169 176 199 241 555 195 124 184 1 1 2 56 67 260 5 3 7 4 18 5 3 3 315 176 560 319 937 485 190 184 1 2 1 2 7 1 2 51 156 68 131 553 106 106 *1 150 • *L^ Total S. I. vV' 281 659 28 1,843 383 43 3,166 16 1,171 Grand Total.. 749 13 985 222 63 3,951 8 921 96 6,828 25 1,765 * Begiments of Cavalry of three troops each.