Page 88 inflicted by an enemy's, cruizer could not be great, in view of the necessary reluctance to deplete her ammunition store, and the possibility of being subsequently caught by one of Her Majesty's ships.
This basis the Colonial Defence Committee now reaffirm, and they now proceed to the consideration of the questions dealt with in the various papers above enumerated.
(a.) Personnel.
follows:-
Police (all ranks)
The present available forces of the Colony are as
Volunteers--
Artillery
Mounted infantry.
Infantry
Total
436
50
85
480
615
1,051
"
Various proposals for the alteration and extension of this force have been made. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir A. Mackworth suggests that the police should be raised to a strength of 500, and an additional force of 500 men should be "trained and formed into a reserve to be annually drilled for one month in the year. Of the first class or ordinary police, 150 are to be trained as artillerymen, and of the reserve 100, giving a total artillery force of 250. Although alluding to the existing volunteer force as a "very promising" body, Sir A. Mackworth doubts if their training is likely to be sufficient, and suggests that this force should be looked upon to provide a body of mounted infantry; but the rest of the volunteers do not appear to be taken into account in his summary, which stands as follows :-
Artillery-
Police
Police reserve
Mounted infantry volunteers Infantry-
Police
14
Police reserve
Total
::
:
::
:
::
150
100
250
150
350
400
750
1,150*
The Local Defence Committee, with these proposals before them, concur in the opinion that fifty men should be added to the police at an estimated cost of about 801. per man; but they are unanimously of opinion that it would be impracticable to create an efficient reserve of 500 men.
Major Wilson, in dissenting from some of the views of the Committee, states that the volunteer force "could and should be made up to at least":
Artillery Mounted infantry Infantry
Total
200
200
600
1,000
Under these circumstances, the Colonial Defence Committee consider that the proposal to establish a police reserve must be abandoned, and they further deprecate any considerable increase to the police force, which would throw a heavy burden on the Colony. It would be desirable to increase this force to the extent required to carry out the necessary sentry duty in connection with Government buildings or magazines, which was formerly performed by the Imperial troops. Beyond this, the Colonial Defence Committee do not recommend any addition to the police, the strength of which they consider should be mainly ruled by civil requirements.
While there is much to be said for the view of Major-General Goodenough and the Acting Governor as to the advisability of placing the auxiliary forces on a militia basis, the Colonial Defence Committee consider that it would be
The Acting Governor, in his despatch of the 29th July, 1889, appears to have mis- understood Lieutenant-Colonel Sir A. Mackworth's figures, and to suppose that the 1,150 total force is additional to the 436 existing police and the 500 proposed police reserve.
Page 88
Page 88
3