H.—24.

3

14. That the batallion system for rifles, and the brigade system for naval artillery, as laid down in the amended regulations, should be adopted. Memorandum attached (B). 15. That a reserve corps should be created at each centre, as laid down in amended regulations. Memorandum attached (C). 16. That the establishment of corps and companies should be as laid down in the attached form (D). 17. That the naval artillery outside the centres should be modified, and that after the expiration of three years they should be clothed in the general uniform of the volunteer rifles, and should be looked upon as rifle corps from this time. 18. That the two-thirds system of counting parades towards capitation should be amended in the direction indicated in the paper attached, marked (E). 19. That, in addition to those already given to naval corps, efficiency badges, carrying a personal allowance of ,-fil per badge should be issued—four per corps or company —to men of mounted corps, field artillery, engineer, and rifle corps complying with the conditions laid down in amended regulations. Memorandum attached (F). 20. That all corps should be allowed to do certain training annually in camps of instruction, with an allowance of Is. 6d. per man per diem, as laid down in amended regulations. Memorandum attached (G). 21. That the allowance of small-arms ammunition should be increased from 100 to 150 rounds per man per annum, under the conditions as laid down in amended regulations. 22. That the time has arrived when field artillery corps should no longer have issued to them either rifles or small-arms ammunition, but that they should be drilled and equipped and trained entirely within the limits of their own arm; and that naval artillery corps and garrison artillery should only be required to pass through the course laid down for garrison artillery of the Imperial service. 23. That only bands at the centres should be recognised as garrison bands. Memorandum of proposed regulations attached (H). 24. That the New Zealand Rifle Association does not give any practical assistance to volunteering, and is subversive of discipline, and recommends that the grant by the department to this association be discontinued, and the expenditure so saved be divided into shooting prizes for volunteers in the various districts. The Conference also recommends the discontinuance of any grant to rifle clubs. 25. That the volunteer year should end on the last day of February in each year. 26. The Conference, in the knowledge that the present regulations are frequently disregarded and relaxed, bsg strongly to recommend that, if the Government adopt the regulations now submitted, they shall be rigidly adhered to and enforced, and that to insure absolute uniformity no exception shall be made, and that all concerned shall be duly notified of this recommendation. G. S. Whitmore, Major-General, Chairman Volunteer Conference.

A. The Conference recommends that " The Defence Act, 1836," — 1. Shall bs revised ; 2. That the powers of the officer in the position of Commander of the Forces shall be defined; 3. That in clause 11, in the form of oath therein prescribed, the words " Defence Forces " shall be deleted and the words " Permanent Militia," or " Militia," or " Volunteer Force," be inserted ; 4. That clauses 42 and 43 be deleted and the power of election of officers by men of the corps be done away with ; 5. That Part VI. be altered as follows :— Pabt VI. COUBTS OF INQUIRY. 84. Formation of Courts of Inquiry. —-The Commander-in-Chief, the Defence Minister, the Commander of the Forces, and any Officer Commanding a District, may summon, in manner hereinafter contained, commissioned officers of the Defence Forces under their command, to form a Court of Inquiry, which court shall consist of not less than three such officers, of which the senior officer present shall be the President, to examine into the truth of any charge or complaint preferred against any officer, non-commissioned officer, or any other member of the Defence Forces : provided that no officer of the Militia or Volunteers, except those on the permanent staff, shall sit on a Court