H.—9a

14

I am in no way responsible for the fact of a large number of corps which I have already reported upon as not required for the defence of the colony having been brought to the various camps. With the insufficient instruction which I have above commented on, it would have been better had they not been called up. I have to impress upon the Government that it is better to have fifty well-trained men under good instruction, with their hearts in their work, well dressed and well cared for, than to have a hundred men the large proportion of whom do not really care to learn, ill dressed, badly provided, and uninstructed. The Easter camps should be the perfecting of the yearly training, instead of being, as it is at present, the first time that the men have an opportunity of learning the elements of field-work. The yearly instruction should be such that the final touches could be put on it during the Easter camps; and, in order that this should be so it is necessary that better instruction should be provided, and distributed amongst fewer men. The officers and men are generally anxious to learn—they only want the opportunities. It is with great satisfaction that I can report that a very great deal of interest has been evinced during this Easter amongst all ranks in the new work which has been set before them. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,550 copies), £9155.

By Authority: Samuel Costall, Government Printer for the time being, Wellington.—lB93. Price 6d.]