A.-7

42

Thousands of men available. Maoris would enrol in reserve. There are in New Zealand thousands of men capable of bearing arms, many of them trained, good riders, and good shots ; yet we have in the colony rifles only for one-fourth of their number. Again, there is a large number of men of the Native race who are well capable of bearing arms. In the past we have had a taste of the fighting-qualities of the Maoris, both of those against and those with us ; in fact, had it not been for the " friendlies " the troubles would not have ended so speedily or successfully as they did. All now, I am happy to say, are desirous of upholding the mana of our gracious sovereign, and were pouri (sorrowful) at not being allowed to go with our sons in the contingents to South Africa. The time has long since arrived when we may with confidence trust those of the Native race who enrol themselves in our Volunteer corps, and accept them to form part of the Imperial Reserve Force suggested in this memorandum. More rifles wanted. I consider that, in addition to the '303 rifles now in the colony, to provide Volunteer corps in the South Island, the new corps enrolled and to be enrolled, the men in the Imperial Reserve, and to have a reasonable stock in reserve, 30,000 magazine rifles are required. The cost of same, with freight, &c, added, would be about £120,000. Enrolment refused ; want of capital to equip. In the past, many companies of Volunteers and rifle clubs have offered their services, which have been refused on account of the capital required for arms and equipment not being available. This also applies especially to the want of field batteries and the completion and full equipment of harbour-defences. Classification. Classification of the Forces. The defence forces of the colony should be divided into the following classes—viz., (a) Permanent Artillery, for harbour-defences ; (b) ordinary Volunteer forces; (c) Imperial and Colonial Reserve forces; (d) rifle clubs; and (c) cadet corps. Volunteers. Volunteers past and present. Capitation required. When the present Commander of the Forces took office our Volunteers numbered about 4,200. The number of officers and men now enrolled totals 11,500. There are, in addition, some ninety corps offering their services, which, if accepted, would bring our total Volunteer Force up to over 18,000 officers and men. Most of the corps now offering their services are mounted. We take it for granted that, approximately, half would be mounted and the other half infantry. The present capitation grant for infantry is £2 10s., and for mounted corps £3 10s. The total amount required for capitation would therefore be £54,000 per annum. To this must be added, for accoutrements, water-bottles, haversacks, bandoliers, &c, £1 per head per annum, or £18,000, which would bring the total cost up to £72,000. Training in camp. To have our Volunteers efficient, increased training in camp is essential, and an additional payment may be found advisable. I estimate this at £8,000, bringing the total required to £80,000. We have now an up-to-date field battery, and other batteries have been ordered. The cost of these if manned by Volunteers would be at least £1,000 each, but if manned by Permanent men and provided with horses £12,000 would be required. Shooting-ranges required. To make our Volunteers efficient in shooting ranges are necessary, but with the increasing population of our centres these are difficult to get. In the past there has been a great oversight in this respect, and we find ourselves in the position at the present time of having no suitable range available for the Volunteers in the large centres of population. To make the necessary provision now would entail a cost of £20,000, and when this is done (and the sooner it is done the better) a law should be passed that no person acquiring properties adjacent to or in the vicinity of these ranges should have any claim against the colony. Rifle ranges are as essential to our welfare as railways are, and they should be protected and maintained for all time. Imperial Reserve. Of whom to consist, and condition of service. How reserve formed. Capitation on being efficient. Imperial Government to find capital. Services of men reserved within territorial limits. In respect of the formation of an Imperial Reserve the following shall apply:—lt should be open to all officers and men belonging to the ordinary Volunteer corps to become efficient in both services, and to enlist for, say, three years in the Reserve Forces. The officers and men so enlisting should receive a fixed annual sum on being certificated as efficient, and be required to go into camp at stated periods, for, say, four weeks in each year, the drills and camping as a Volunteer to count as part of the said four weeks. When in camp they should receive a sum amounting to at least half that now given under the Militia Regulations. The Imperial Government should provide the capital required to purchase field batteries, rifles, and equipments of the Force, the colonies paying a sum equal to one-half the interest on the first cost. In respect to all the forces when on service outside the colony the Imperial Government should provide the horses (when in the colony the men to provide their own horses), the payment of capitation and the payment of the forces when in camp in the colony, or on service outside the colony within prescribed limits, to be adjusted between the Imperial authorities and the colonial Governments on a population or other equitable basis. The Reserve forces should be open for service within territorial limits, to be