H.—l9.

Volunteers. The strength of the Volunteer Force (inclusive of Defence Cadets and Defence Rifle Clubs) on the Ist of August was distributed as follows : — Auckland (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 90 3 companies garrison artillery ... ... ... ... .. 256 2 companies engineers ... ... ... ... ... 167 4 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 20 companies) ... ... ... 1,182 2 battalions infantry (in all, 19 companies) ... ... ... 998 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 5 defence cadet corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 241 19 defence rifle clubs ... ... ... ... ... ... 380 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 Wellington (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 78 2 companies garrison artillery ... ... ... ... ... 224 2 companies engineers ... ... ... ... ... 131 4 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 22 companies) ... ... ... 1,166 5 battalions infantry (in all, 40 companies) ... ... ... 2,146 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 24 defence cadet corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,164 49 defence rifle clubs ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,303 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 Canterbury (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 70 2 companies of garrison artillery ... ... ... ... 178 1 company engineers ... ... ... ... ... ... 74 3 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 14 companies) ... ... ... 739 3 battalions infantry (in all, 21 companies) ... ... ... 1,124 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 7 defence cadet corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 422 7 defence rifle clubs ... ... ... ... ... ... 185 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 Otago (Officers and Men). 1 battery of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 57 2 companies garrison artillery ... ... ... .:. ... 226 1 company engineers ... ... ... ... ... ... 89 2 battalions mounted rifles (in all, 13 companies) ... ... ... 835 4 battalions infantry (in all, 33 companies) ... ... ... 1,878 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 33 13 defence cadet corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 732 13 defence rifle clubs ... ... ... ... ... ... 299 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 Nelson (Officers and Men). 2 batteries of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 109 1 battalion mounted rifles (in all, 4 companies) ... ... ... 257 2 battalions infantry (in all, 11 companies) ... ... ... 673 1 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 46 7 defence cadet corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 328 12 defence rifle clubs ... ... ... ... ... ... 375 1 garrison band ... ... ... ... ... ... 27 Summary (Officers and Men). 6 batteries of field artillery ... ... ... ... ... 404 9 companies of garrison artillery ... ... ... ... 884 6 companies of engineers ... ... ... ... ... 461 14 battalions of mounted rifles (in all, 73 companies) ... ... 4,179 16 battalions of infantry (in all, 124 companies) ... ... ... 6,819 5 bearer corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 179 56 defence cadet corps ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,887 100 defence rifle clubs ... ... ... ... ... ... 2,542 5 garrison bands ... ... ... ... ... ... 135 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 18,490 Mounted Corps. An improvement has taken place as regards the efficiency of mounted corps. It is now recognised by corps that dismounted duties, and not mounted drill, is the important part of their training. As regards men, the material is excellent, and with training it would be very hard to equal

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