A.—4

33

The necessity for increased drill, especially in the first year] of service, and for daylight parades has already been remarked upon. 1 In the mother country the volunteers have submitted to more stringent conditions of service and efficiency, in return for increased aid from the State. Attendance at a certain number of daylight parades should be one of the conditions enforced in New Zealand. In a recent report upon the Volunteer Force of Great Britain the < necessity for camps of exercise is prominently noticed, as they afford < volunteers the only means of acquiring the knowledge and the habits of military life. In fact, once a man has been well instructed in elementary drill, a week of continuous training in camp equals —in the amount of instruction acquired—that obtained otherwise throughout the whole year. Moreover, camps afford the commanders better opportunities of testing the respective merits of the officers serving under them. There are other matters connected with the government and < organization of the force which require looking into : such as the periodical inspection of the corps ; the revision of the regulations ; the necessity for a, standard as to age, height, and chest measurement ; the measures desirable for imparting instruction to officers and noncommissioned officers of volunteers ; the extension of the length of service, in order to remove the difficulty, experienced at present, in retaining the men in the ranks for any length of time ; and the formation of a reserve. But, besides the large force of volunteers now maintained, there < are 39 companies of cadets numbering 2,255 boys—66s in the North Island and 1,590 in the South Island. These cadet companies cost the country several thousands of pounds per annum, and it is doubtful whether much of this expenditure is not wasted, as a large portion of it is required for clothing the boys. An examination of the reports of the inspecting officers for 1879, already referred to, will show that the town cadet corps are not considered equal to the school corps in discipline and efficiency. I fully recognise the importance and advantage of cadet corps, but it is to be borne in mind that drill is not of primary importance, the object being rather to train boys to habits of obedience and self control and accustom them to the restraints of discipline. lam satisfied that no good can possibly result from drilling boys at night. The preferable course would be to abolish the present town cadet corps and make arrangements for drilling the boys at all schools by their own masters, —within certain limits as to numbers and under the supervision of the officers commanding districts. The capitation grant might be reduced so as only to cover the incidental expenses of instruction —arms, accoutrements, and ammunition for the older boys being supplied by the State ; uniforms not to be insisted on. Having fully considered the nature of the attacks to which New Zealand is exposed, the places which require local protection, the means c

Increased drill and daylight parades.

Camps' of exercise and continuous training.

Other matters.

Cadet corps.

Recapitulation of measures proposed.