H.-19

3

Wellington (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 78 2 companies garrison artillery ... ... ... ... ... 208 2 companies engineers ... ... ... ... ... ... 134 4 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 22 companies) ... ... ... 1,296 5 battalions infantry (in all, 39 companies) ... ... .., 2,308 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 Canterbury (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 86 2 companies of garrison artillery... ... ... ... ... 156 1 company engineers ... ... ... ... ... ... 82 3 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 14 companies) ... ... ... 893 2 battalions infantry (in all, 21 companies) ... ... ... 1,191 1 bearer corps... ... ... ... ... ... ... 43 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 Otago (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 58 2 companies garrison artillery ... ... ... ... ... 196 1 company engineers ... ... ... ... ... ... 98 2 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 13 companies) ... ... ... 981 3 battalions infantry (in all, 33 companies) ... ... ... 1,955 1 bearer corps... ... ... ... ... ... ... 41 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... .. 25 Nelson (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 56 1 company of garrison artillery ... ... ... ... ... 38 1 battalion mounted rifles (in all, 4 companies) ... ... ... 285 2 battalions infantry (in all, 11 companies) ..." ... ... 650 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 25 Summary (Officers and Men). 5 batteries of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 355 10 companies of garrison artillery... ... ... ... ... 877 6 companies of engineers .. ... ... ... ... 497 14 battalions of mounted rifles (in all, 72 companies)... ... ... 4,708 14 battalions of infantry (in all, 125 companies) ... ... ... 7,184 5 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 188 5 garrison bands ... ... ... ... ... ... 125 Total ... ... ... ... ... 13,934 Mounted Corps. While excellent material exists for all branches of the Defence Forces in the colony, for mounted corps this is pre-eminently the case. There are large numbers of men who are good riders, and accustomed to work such as gives them an eye for a country and inculcates independence. A great difference in the relative efficiency of corps at present exists. This should not be so much the case as it is; the material is much the same, and the spirit of the corps leaves little to be desired, but want of system as regards instruction and of opportunities to learn have gone far in the past to militate against general efficiency being arrived at. The weak point in the mounted branch at present is their knowledge of dismounted duties. It has been impressed on all concerned that dismounted action is the true metier of the mounted riflemen, and great improvement must be looked for in this most important part of their duties. The old Manual of Instruction contained little with regard to many points that are most important to the mounted rifleman. A new Manual of Instruction has been issued, which contains all that is necessary in such a work. A new and lighter rifle is being introduced in England, and the future wants of the colony should be met by procuring these. Mounted corps in the first instance should be armed with them. On the whole the horses of mounted corps are serviceable. The saddlery, however, is not in all cases satisfactory, and on service the horses would suffer. Nose-bags should be provided for mounted corps. Field Artillery Volunteers. The field battery at Nelson is still armed with the 6-pr. Nordenfeldt. I recommend that a three-gun battery ot modern guns be purchased. Harness has been issued to all field batteries. A fire which destroyed the drill-shed at Christchurch destroyed the harness on issue to E Battery there; this has been replaced. The establishment for six-gun batteries, being in excess of that required for three-gun batteries, has been reduced from a maximum of ninety-two to one of seventy. This reduction to new strength is being carried out gradually.