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and we are also endeavouring to arrange with the Otago High School to the same effect. Hitherto the main difficulty has been the provision of storage accommodation for the guns; this has now been overcome. The question of withdrawing some of the 15-prs. now used as mobile armament by the Garrieon Artillery and issuing them to school Cadets is being considered, and it is possible that the system may be further developed by this means. Iα this way recruits for the Artillery will be trained as Cadets and a valuable source of supply of material for all ranks of the field batteries ensured. 6. Garrison Artillery. (a.) Royal New Zealand Artillery (Garrison Section). From the inception of the scheme till this year it was found difficult to keep the garrison mci ion of the R.N.Z.A. efficient. This was due partly to the reginient I>ei 1 1 <j: under establishment and partly to the number of employed men. It has now been distributed in cadres—a cadre to each division of Territorial Garrison Artillery, under the Adjutant. The men, as far as possible, live in or near the forts, and are thus on the spot to instruct the Territorials and keep the armament in good order. Officers Commanding Districts should always realize that Permanent Artillery are primarily maintained to keep the armament and ammunition of the forts in good older and ready for service, and to act as instructors to the Territorial Artillery. They should therefore be very sparingly employed on fatigue duty. This year gun practice was carried out by the Hoyal New Zealand Artillery at Auckland for the first time since 1909, and at Wellington for the second year in succession. In future the Royal New Zealand Artillery cadres should annually undergo a months special training at the defended ports, followed by gun practice under service conditions. Garrison Artillery is the easiest branch of the Artillery to make efficient. The guns are in fixed positions, the ranges are known to the men (who all live in the neighbourhood), and thus have every opportunity of getting acquainted with the forts. It is, however, a sine qxia nan that the equipment in forts must be in perfect order to get good shooting. Automatic and rooking-bar eights, rangefinders, &c, must be in complete adjustment; breech fittings must be in good working-order; all ammunition carefully kept, and high explosive shells examined and contents tested; likewise, cordite and explosives must be examined and tested periodically. This is the duty of the Permanent soldier, and is, in fact, one of the main reasons of his existence. In New Zealand there are altogether only 195 men in the Garrison Section R.N.Z.A —none too many for the work required, without taking them away for fatigues and outside employment. (b.) Territorial. In each case at Garrison Artillery camps the training for the year began with instructional practice, and worked up to service practice. The practice was uniformly satisfactory, considering the short service of the majority of the men. During the past three years there has been difficulty in getting officers. This is now being remedied, as a glance at the Army List will show. Many of the officers are still young and inexperienced, but this is a fault which will gradually rectify itself. What will always be required is to furnish the Coast Defence Commanders with good Staff Officers, and the Divisional Commanders with good Adjutants. These latter officers should take all the drudgery off the shoulders of their Commanders, and must themselves learn to take responsibility. Being professional and business men. Territorial officers cannot devote all their time to soldiering, and it behoves their Permanent Staff officers to relieve them of all detail. The Garrison Artillery has of late years been too much under establishment, but now that this has been remedied and officers and men have got a grip of (lie work, I confidently anticipate that its progress towards thorough efficiency will he rapid. During the visit of the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces further practice was carried out, with the results stated in his report. This was a good test of what might be expected if the Territorial Garrison Artillery was suddenly called out without warning. 7. Engineers. (a.) Field Companies. At the inception of the scheme these companies worked under great disadvantages, for lack of instructors and equipment. Equipment is now being built up by degrees, and instructors have been obtained. I would draw special attention to the remarks of the Inspector-General as regards the employment of field companies with the other arms. The duty of Field Engineers as regards the sifing and construction of Infantry trenches should in no case be more than that of general supervision and guidance. The companies again proved themselves very useful in carrying out necessary works in and about camp, such as bridging, improving approaches, &c, thereby saving expense to the public. (b.) Signal Units. The development of the divisional Signal Companies and Mounted Signal Troops has been backward till this year. Equipment and instructors have now been provided, and these units should now steadily advance in efficiency. The remarks of the Inspector-General on intercommunication in paragraph 99 of his report should be noted.