15

H.—9.

(2.) REPORT ON EAST COAST DISTRICT.

Napier Sub-district. Commanding Officer, Major Wood. Sergeant-instructor Huddlestone. This sub-district is composed of F Battery N.Z. Artillery, Napier Naval Artillery, Napier Eifles, Hastings Eifles, and Napier High School Cadets. I regret that I have to report that I found things in a very unsatisfactory condition. I believe that Major Wood is a good capable officer, who gives much of his time to Volunteering work; but he is a busy man. The sergeant-instructor, Huddlestone, I consider to be not up to the mark, and to this fact 1 attribute much of the shortcomings of the corps as regards drill; and there was a large proportion of absentees at my inspection. One corps, that at Hastings, has practically ceased to exist. The F Battery requires much instruction, and more energy is wanted. The Napier Naval Artillery naturally knows nothing of artillery work or of submarine-mining, and their infantry drill requires sharpening up. Neither the Napier Eifles nor the cadet corps satisfied me. On the other hand, it is to be recorded that I had only the opportunity of seeing the corps separately in the drill-hall during the same evening, and therefore some of the corps were waiting for a long time before their turn for inspection came. A change in the running of the Union Steamship Company's vessels prevented my seeing all the corps out on a daylight parade. Hastings Eifles. —11th August, 1892. I was met by Major Wood, and Captain Lewis, commanding the corps, at the Hastings Bail-way-station, and informed by them that they were unable to produce any men for parade. The reasons given were that the corps had had hopes of being formed into a mounted rifle corps, and had practically disbanded in consequence, the arms and accoutrements having been to a great extent returned to store. Napiek High School Naval Cadets. Present: 2 lieutenants, 2 sergeants, and 32 rank and file. Absent: 27 rank and file. The cadets were clean and neat in their appearance, but I do not consider that there was sufficient reason given for so many absentees. They drilled fairly, and I hope that they may improve. F Batteby (Napier).—-12th August, 1892. Present: 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 6 sergeants, and 35 rank and file. Absent: 14 rank and file. Uniform. —Artillery Volunteer uniform. Arms and Accoutrements. —Snider artillery carbine ; white enamel belts. Officers. McCartney and Lieutenant Kennedy. Non-commissioned Officers. —Sergeant-Major Hughes and Sergeant Drummond were examined by me. A great lack of knowledge in artillery was shown. The battery is armed with two 8.8.L. guns. These guns are in a very unsatisfactory state, and are, in my opinion, unfit for service. The trail of one of the guns had been broken, and repaired in Wellington in such a manner that the elevating-gear could not bo used. Napier Eifles.—l2th August, 1892. Present: 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 6 non-commissioned officers, and 35 privates. Absent: 3 non-commissioned officers and 10 privates. Uniform. —Kharkee. Arms and Accoutrements. —Snider rifle ; buff belts. Officers. —Captain Chicken: Appeared nervous. Lieutenant Swan: Drilled indifferently. Lieutenant Stubbs: Drilled indifferently. Non-commissioned Officers, —Colour-Sergeant Teycherne was quite inefficient ia his drill. The other non-commissioned officers were not up to the mark. I believe that Captain Chicken is a good hard-working officer, but am inclined to think he does more work himself than he ought. The officers and non-commissioned officers must be made more use of, and given opportunities of learning their work.

East Coast District. 13 a a*li k o -4J i=1 o 3 43 S 02 °asa -&^as ■S H B o li s| 13 si go o a a"™ O 0) ftg d CD d Cβ M 3 o B d ! o3 Cβ t> 'u Officer Commanding District Staff sergeant East Coast Mounted Rifle Volunteers Napier Naval Artillery Volunteers P Battery New Zealand Artillery Volunteers Napier Rifle Volunteers Hastings Rifle Volunteers Garrison Band l 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 4 3 5 4 3 2 4 5 4 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 33 48 43 47 45 17 1 1 46 60 57 60 53 20 Totals 1 5 1 7 6 298 21 17 233