3

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12. Permanent P'orce. With this object the Royal New Zealand Artillery has been reorganized so that a considerable portion of it (100) has now been converted into Field Artillery. This Field Artillery portion will provide the permanent cadres for the Territorial Field Artillery batteries, and will, I hope, bring them to the same pitch of excellence us that to which tiny have brought the Territorial Garrison Artillery in the past. The Garrison Artillery portion of the Royal New Zealand Artillery will continue to form the instructional cadres a 1 the defended ports. 13. Field Artillery. Three extra batteries (each to consist of four guns) have been raised in the Dominion, making a total of eight batteries. These have been formed into four brigades, one brigade being furnished from each of the four military districts. Twenty-four of the new 18-pounder field guns have been ordered from Home for six of these batteries, and eighl of the latest-pattern field howitzers for the remaining two. The provision of an extra mountain battery is also under consideration. The first consignment of the 18-pounders is due to leave England this month, and it i> anticipated that all the 18-pounders will have reached the Dominion by next February. Artillery horses are now being purchased for the Field Artillery cadres, and the training of the R.N.Z.A. in Field Artillery work will shortly be completed ; so that, as the guns arrive, the permanent cadres will be ready for the immediate commencement of the 1 raining of the batteries. 14. Changes in Organization ok the Forces. The following have been amalgamated : — Mounted Rifles — 2nd and 4th Regiments, Auckland Mounted Rifles, to form the 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles. Ist and 2nd Regiments, North Canterbury Mounted Rifles, to form the Ist Mounted Rifles (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry). 2nd and 4th Regiments, Wellington Mounted Rifles, to form the 9th (Welling on East Coast) Mounted Rifles. Garrison Artillery — Nos. 1 and 2 Companies, Canterbury Division, New Zealand Garrison Artillery, to form No. 4 Company, New Zealand Garrison Artillery. Nos. 1 and 2 Companies, Otago Division, New Zealand Garrison Artillery, to form No. 2 Company, New Zealand Garrison Artillery. Infantry — Ist and 2nd Battalions, Nelson Infantry, to form the 12th (Nelson) Regiment. 3rd and sth Battalions, Wellington Infantry, to form the 9th Regiment (Wellington East Coast Rifles). The following new units have been raised : — Mounted Rifles—l2th (Otago) Mounted Rifles. Field Artillery —C Battery (Invercargill) ; F Battery (Napier) ; G Battery (Hamilton). Infantry —15th (North Auckland) Regiment; 16th (Waikato) Regiment. Signal Corps —Auckland Mounted Signal Company; Canterbury Mounted Signal Company; Otago Mounted Signal Company ; Wellington Mounted Signal Company. Auckland Infantry Signal Company ; Canterbury Infantry Signal Company ; Otago Infantry Signal Company ; Wellington Infantry Signal Company. Mounted Field Ambulances—No. 5 Mounted Field Ambulance (Auckland); No. 6 Mounted Field Ambulance (Christchurch); No. 7 Mounted Field Ambulance (Invercargill) ; No. 8 Mounted Field Ambulance (Palmerston North). The heterogeneous mass of scattered squadrons, batteries, and companies of which the Forces have hitherto consisted has been sorted out and reorganized. A Mounted Rifles brigade of three regiments, an Infantry brigade of four battalions, and an Artillery brigade of two batteries are now allotted to each of the four districts, making a total of twelve Mounted Rifle regiments, sixteen battalions, and eight batteries. These have been numbered consecutively as follows : Mounted Rifles, Itol2 ; Infantry, Ito 16, &c. ; and have also been given a Territorial designation. Local Territorial Brigadiers have been appointed, and their Brigade "Majors will be permanent officers of the New Zealand Staff Corps. Territorial Coast Defence Commanders have also been appointed, with permanent officers of the Royal New Zealand Artillery as their Staff Officers. Regiments and battalions will be commanded by local Territorial officers, who will have permanenl officers of the New Zealand Staff Corps as their Adjutants. It will thus be seen that the principle is for Citizen officers to command all units of the Citizen Army, and to be assisted in so doing by Permanent officers. Further particulars of the reorganization can be seen in the revised Army List, issued in June, 1911, which shows the Forces in regimental lists. 15. Establishments. The establishments of the Forces have been raised to practically the same strength for peace as for war, and have now been issued in detail. This provides for the Force of 30,000 men recomn lended by the War Office, and also enables us to take into the Territorial Army all those who will be available for service. It has therefore been decided, for the present, that the General Training Section will not be necessary. This section was only a makeshift to provide for the men available for training who could not be embraced by the original low peace establishment. 16. Regulations. The new Regulations for the Territorial Force have been approved by Cabinet, published, and issued.