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The Easter manoeuvres, among other things, showed the necessity for more training of the infantry in scouting duties; this is one of the most important duties infantry have to perform in an enclosed country, and in which they take the place of mounted troops. Cycle Corps. There are five cycle corps in the colony. Of these, two corps have been increased to two officers and thirty-four men, the additional men to be trained as signallers. The corps are efficient, and intelligent work w s c rried out by them at the late Easter manoeuvres, where the country lent itself to this work ; this was especially the case in the manoeuvres held in Canterbury. Medical Corps. Nearly all the staffs of battalions and artillery divisions have been completed, but the field hospital and bearer corps are still under-officered, undermanned, and under-equipped. Ambulance training, first aid, and elementary nursing are fairly well taught. The attendance of medical officers at parades or camps of instruction of the units to which they are attached is not satisfactory, and attention has been drawn to this matter. The equipment of the forts is satisfactory, but no regimental equipment and no first field dressingpads for men exist. The equipment recommended by the Surgeon-General last year has not been obtained. It is necessary that the Surgeon-General should visit periodically the various centres for the purposes of inspection, &c. I have, however, failed to obtain the necessary authority to enable him to do so. Veterinary Corps. Provision has been made for the establishment of a veterinary corps, and steps are being taken to secure an officer as principal Veterinary Officer. The number of officers available for this corps will be small, but its institution is necessary, and should be productive of valuable results. Veterinary officers should be eligible for capitation. Cadets. There are 3,081 cadets now serving, an increase of 194 on last year. An improvement in drill, &c, has taken place, and the arms are well cared for. Cadet battalions have been formed where practicable, and good results should ensue. There is a mounted cadet corps at Hawera, and another is proposed in the Auckland District. The capitation of ss. is too little, and should most certainly be increased ; some corps have been obliged to disband, and the cadet movement will not develop unless increased capitation is granted. The equipment of corps is far from complete. In the Schools of the Empire Shield competition, in which over a hundred schools took part, the score of Wanganui College took thirteenth place on the list; only five schools in New Zealand, however, competed. Nearly all corps went into camp during the year, and with beneficial results. Provision has been made for adult officers of cadet corps receiving commissions. Every boy in New Zealand should be trained as a cadet, and, beyond this, receive such training as an adult as will enable him, if called upon, to play his part in the defence of the country ; the future of the colony may very well some day depend on the ability of its male population to do so. Such training, too, would but little, if at all, interfere with their ordinary civil vocations. Rifle Clubs. There are 107 rifle clubs in the colony, an increase of seven on last year. Their position should be improved. With the inadequate staff at their disposal, officers commanding districts can exercise practically no supervision over them. Rifle clubs should receive an additional grant of ammunition ; they should fire a course of musketry each year; perform a stated number of drills; and, when local circumstances permit, be affiliated to a Volunteer corps. New Zealand Defence Force Rifle Association. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Defence Force Rifle Association was held at Trentham on the 2nd March and following days. The entries were forty-nine in excess of those of the previous year, and the number of tyros (123) that came forward was very satisfactory. Thirty-eight Volunteer officers competed. The championship was won by Rifleman Milroy, with a score of 507, or thirty-five over inners. The shooting was the best yet accomplished, and at 700 yards with a2O in. bull's-eye it has not been equalled in New Zealand ; it is doubtful if it has been equalled anywhere. Long-range shooting was introduced for the first time, and with excellent results. The use of auxiliary aids was permitted in certain matches, on the plea that they are allowed at Bisley. I consider, however, that it would be an advance were all matches shot for under service conditions. Target and range accommodation are still insufficient to carry out the meeting in a reasonable time. It is hoped improvement in these respects will be made before next year, as sufficient money for that purpose is now available. Camps. The system of holding annual training-camps is not found to be quite satisfactory. In mounted rifle corps this is less the case than with the infantry; but, although most mounted rifles remain in camp all day, they train during the winter months, when the weather is so broken that much time is lost.