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form the total military forces of the Colony, and that these could only be raised to the war strength of 5,000 by passing into the ranks a nearly equal number of untrained
men.
This cannot be considered very satisfactory, and the problem as to how to bring the peace establishment up to the war establishment with men of sufficient training, but without imposing an undue financial burden on the Colony, still awaits a solution, The Colonial Defence Committee have always considered that the most satisfactory method of obtaining a reserve is by keeping a hold on and occasionally training men who have passed through the ranks of the Regular and Militia forces, and they are watching with interest the attempt now being made in South Australia to carry this into practice by compulsorily transferring men after two years' active service into the reserve for a further period of three years. While serving in the reserve, men of the Militia receive approximately half the pay and half the training that they do in the active force. Failing this system, it may be necessary to fall back on the rifle clubs, Government offering certain inducements in the way of extra grants of ammunition and possibly the provision of uniforms for men who will enrol themselves as reservists and engage to attend certain drills and the annual camp of exercise, or efficient members of the rifle clubs might be looked upon as a second reserve if a first reserve can be formed of men that have been trained in the Regular or Militia forces.
The whole subject appears to be a suitable one for discussion by a Conference of Commandants in Australia.
3. The Report of the Commandant affords abundant proof of the care devoted by him to raising the standard of efficiency in the force, and of the satisfactory results of the work of the year. The Musketry Returns are very satisfactory, and show a great advance on last year. The recommendation of the Commandant, however, that the annual course of musketry should not be restricted only to individual range practices, but should include individual and collective field practices, cannot be too strongly indorsed. Fire discipline is absolutely essential to the effectiveness of infantry in modern war, and that discipline cannot be acquired by firing individually at a bull's- eye at known ranges.
As regards efficiency in drill, the results of the year are not uniform. The decrease in non-efficients in the Volunteer infantry of the Southern District and of the Militia infantry of the Northern District is very satisfactory. On the other hand, there is a serious and unexplained increase in the number of non-efficients in all the units of the Central District.
The number of drills required of recruits (twenty) appears insufficient. It is suggested that the standard should be raised to thirty, the number required under the Regulations for the Volunteers in Great Britain.
4. The remaining points brought forward in the Commandant's Report can be con- veniently dealt with under the heading of the Summary of Recommendations on p. 9.
The Commandant recommends that the staff of Sergeant-Instructors be increased, so as to give more efficient administration and instruction in the infantry of the Defence Force and Volunteers. It is not clear from the Report what the present instructional staff consists of, or whether the 2 officers and 17 men which, in accordance with the Table inclosed in the Governor's despatch of the 4th November, 1896, printed as an Appendix to Colonial Defence Committee's Memorandum No. 92 M, were to be provided in 1896-97 for regimental staff, have actually been appointed. In England it is considered necessary that 1 Colour-Sergeant and 1 Sergeant of the permanent staff should do duty with each company of Militia, and that there should further be a permanent battalion staff of an Adjutant, a Sergeant- Major, a Quartermaster-Scrgeant, and a Sergeant-Instructor of Musketry. To each battalion of Volunteers there is an Adjutant, an acting Sergeant-Major and several Sergeant-Instructors. There can be no doubt that the military efficiency of both Militia and Volunteers must very largely depend on the number of officers and N.C.O.s permanently available to look after them.
5. The Commandant recommends that the strength of "A" Battery be gradually increased until it reaches a sufficient number to meet all requirements. These requirements are "to provide for the care and protection of forts, magazines, armaments, warlike stores and other such services, and to secure the establishment of a school for military instruction in connection with the defence force."
The designation "A" Battery for what really and rightly is the permanent instructional depôt of all the forces of the Colony appears to the Colonial Defence Committee to be a singular misnomer. It seems to consist of garrison artillery, field artillery, and submarine mining sections though the sub-division into these is not
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