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training can be demanded annually, but who are induced by other than pecuniary motives, to give the country their services for a much longer period each year.
9. Over 300 men in all have done three years' training in the Field Artillery during the past ten years. Most of these live in or near Brisbane, and no difficulty would be experienced in filling the ranks in time of war with men trained as above.
10. Lastly, the present system works well, as far as can be judged by any known peace tests. For instance, under the exact conditions as laid down annually in the "Imperial Regulations for Practice of Field Batteries," the Queensland Field Artillery, in the year 1894-95, qualified for 1st class prizes; in 1895-96 for 1st class prizes, and in 1896-97 for 2nd class prizes.
I have, &c.
(Signed)
To the Honourable the Chief Secretary,
Brisbane
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HOWELL GUNTER, Colonel,
Commandant, Queensland Defence Forces.
PRINTED AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY J. W. HARRISON.--9/12/97.
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Fage This Document is the Property of Her Britannic Majesty's Government3 of 290
Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. March 1, 1898.
SECRET.
No. 175 R.
C.O. Nos. 23559 and 24993.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Reports of the Military Commandant, 1896 and 1897.
Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.
THE Reports of the Commandant of the Local Forces of Western Australia for the years ending the 30th June, 1896, and the 30th June, 1897, both recently received, give the Colonial Defence Committee the first opportunity that they have had of dealing with the defence of this important Colony since the Report of a Local Joint Naval and Military Committee on the defences of Albany was referred to them in December 1895.
2. Before remarking on the details of the present Reports, the Colonial Defence Committee desire to point out that the information contained in them emphasizes the necessity, which they have already pointed out in their Remarks No. 146 R., dated the 6th August, 1896, for the drawing up of a proper Defence Scheme for the Colony. The object that should be aimed at in the maintenance of a defence force is not so much the creation of a certain number of units for general service of a vague and unspecified nature as the organization of the resources of the Colony with a view to the defence on an efficient and economical basis of certain localities in it, which would, from their importance and position, be liable, in the event of a maritime war, to an attack of a nature which can to a certain extent be foreseen and guarded against. On such a basis Defence Schemes have been drawn up for the other four Colonies on the mainland of Australia, and have tended greatly to advance the military preparation of those Colonies.
The Colonial Defence Committee recommend the Government of Western Australia to obtain a copy of the Queensland Defence Scheme, and to prepare, without delay, a similar Scheme for Western Australia.
3. The main feature dealt with in the Reports now under consideration is the introduction of the partially-paid or militia, in the place of the entirely volunteer, system, formerly adopted in the Colony. This appears to the Committee to be a great advance on lines that they have generally advocated. The details of the system that has been adopted, as explained in Appendix (B) of the Report for 1895-96, appears to be somewhat complicated. On the whole, the Committee prefer that which has lately come into force in South Australia, by which men, after a certain number of years' service in the so-called active force, during which they receive 51. a-year for carrying out certain duties, are compulsorily transferred for the remainder of their term of engagement to the Reserve, and receive 21. 10s. a-year in return for doing about half the amount of the work laid down for the active force. By this means a larger total
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