3

H.—l9.

Engineers and Signalling Companies — One officer, with 1 N.C.0., stationed at each of the four centres. Mounted Rifles, North Island. —One officer, with 6 Sergeants-major. Mounted Rifles, South Island. —Six Sergeants-major. Infantry. —No officers available as instructors, but four officers will complete their training in England this year. North Island : 9 Sergeants-major. South Island : 8 Sergeants-major. General Service Instruction. —One Imperial officer, with headquarters at Wellington. The augmentation of above staff of 28 officers and 28 non-commissioned officers under the requirements of the Act will insure much more efficient training in all branches of the Force. Training and Education. District classes were held throughout each district under District Instructional Officers and N.C.O.s, with good results. It is fully apparent that until permanent officers and N.C.O.s are attached to each regiment and battalion little advance can be made in general instruction. The Staff Officer who underwent two years' course at Staff College, England, has returned to duty, and with the return this year of the four exchange officers, special general continuous courses of instruction for the Field Force will again be attempted. The training and education of the Artillery and Engineer branches are quite satisfactory. It is also pleasing to note from reports by Officers Commanding Districts that generally more interest is taken by the Mounted Rifles and Infantry in musketry practices, and that there is a considerable improvement in this most important portion of a man's training. The training carried out at camps is not considered sufficient, and an increase in field-work in the daytime is absolutely necessary if real efficiency is to be looked for, and it is essential that these camps should be continuous. Officers' Training Corps have been formed at Otago University, Canterbury College, Victoria College, with a Junior Division at King's College, Auckland. These corps have held camps, and the work in all cases has been carried out satisfactorily, and the results have been good. The constant endeavour has been first to train members of these corps as men in the ranks, and then require them to act as instructors and leaders. The corps should therefore furnish a valuable source for the supply of citizen officers, and if the improvement at present observable continues, the formation of the corps should be fully justified by the results. Examination of Volunteer Officers for Year ending 28th February, 1910.— The standard of examination has been maintained. The passes obtained and quality of many of the solutions of the questions and problems were satisfactory. During the year ending 28th February, 1910, 263 officers presented themselves for examination, and 58 of these failed or partially failed. The following comparative table for the last four years is given as under t —

Intelligence, Mobilisation. Much good work continues to be done at each of the centres by the Volunteer Intelligence Officers in the way of collection of information useful for mobilisation purposes, and in amending the maps on issue to the districts. Department of the Adjutant- and Quartermaster-General. Permanent Force. The discipline has been good, and the Force generally has done excellent work. The Gunnery and Field Artillery Sections are now down to the reduced establishments, the Electric Light Section being still seven over establishment. Medical Services. The Field Ambulances in the several military districts are in a good state of efficiency, each unit having well maintained its nominal strength during the year. A number of lectures have been given to the different units by various Medical Officers on the subjects of " Sanitation " and " Prevention of Disease " ; and the giving of these instructional lectures is being encouraged in every possible way.

Period. Period. ' Number , of < Passed. Candidates. Failed or Percentage Percentage partially of of failed or failed. ! Passes. I tailed. fear ending 28th February, 1907 29th February, 1908 28th February, 1909 28th February, 1910 [ ' " i 131 106 168 146 170 152 263 205 25 80-09 19-91 22 86-90 13-10 18 89-41 10-59 58 77-94 22-06