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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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quick-firing guns and completion of the mine-ields. Also that additional men are required to man and support the harbour defences.
7. Your Committee consider that the defences of Port Chalmers should be strengthened by the completion of the mine-field and necessary adjuncts, and by the addition of suitable guns.
S. Your Committee, having regard to the great importance of the Westport coal- fields, especially in time of war, and having regarl also to the opinions with which they have been favoured by His Excellency the Admiral commanding the Australian Naval Station in respect of the necessity for fortifying Westport, are of opinion that the fortifications recommended by His Excellency should be undertaken and completed without delay.
9. Your Committee are of opinion that the necessary steam-launches (or miners) and pinnaces in connection with the several fortified ports in the colony should be procured, and be of an up-to-date class.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
10. Your Committee further make the following recommendations:-
(a.) That an ample supply of ammunition for the guns in the forts, and the requisite stores for the mine-felds and spare parts of the mechanism of the guns. be obtained and always maintained.
(b) That the Volunteer Force of the colony be increased up to a minimum strength of all arms and ranks of 18,000, as mentioned in the interim report of your Committee.
(c.) That the field artillery of the colony be strengthened by obtaining three batteries (of newest type of guns) in addition to the field guns at present in the colony,
(d.) That eight Maxim guns of the latest approved pattern, together with the
necessary aminunition, be obtained.
(e.) That 30.000 stand of arms, rifles and carbines, of approved pattern, with necessary accoutrements, be obtained for the defence of the colony. (f.) That the supply of small-arm ammunition be augmented as soon as possible to the extent that would be necessary in time of war, and that the supply in each Volunteer District in the colony he constantly maintained by fresh supplies from time to time at that standard.
(g.) That the present stock of bell tents, marquees, and camp equipment, be increase so as to meet the requirements of the increased forces of the colony.
(h.) That the whole of the Volunteer Force of the colony should be properly equipped, such equipment to include overcoat and waterproof sheet (to be the property of the corps).
(i) That the term of enrolment of Volunteers for service should in future be
three years.
(J.) That Schools of Instruction be provided for Volunteer officers at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, at least; and that it be obligatory on officers and non-commissioned officers to attend at one of such schools for instruction for such period and to pass such examination as shall be prescribed by regulations.
(k.) That during camps of instruction Volunteers of all branches shall remain in camp during a period of seven whole days consecutively in each year, and shall be paid by the Government such wages in respect of such attendance as shall be prescribed by regulation.
(7.) That it is expedient and necessary that suitable rifle ranges be obtained in each Volunteer District where recommended by the Commander of the Forces. That the necessary legislation be passed to enable the Govern- ment to take the lands necessary for such rifle ranges, such lands to be taken as provided by the Public Works Acts, the value of the lands so taken or injuriously affected, and the compensation in respect of other lands not taken but injuriously affected, to be assessed on the basis of the land tax value, plus 10 per cent. That, except as above mentioned, upon any land being legally proclaimed a rifle range, no property owner or occupier shall thereafter have a right to any compensation in respect of such land being used as a rifle range, nor thereafter be legally able to object to any such land being used as a rifle range. And that the whole cost of
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maintaining rifle ranges and erecting targets thereon shall be borne by the Government.
(m.) That the existing payments for daylight parades of Volunteers be continued -a condition for payment being that one half of the nominal strength of a company shall be present on parade.
(a.) That any Volunteer who is absent from three Government parades consecutively without a certificate from the Volunteer medical officer of his corps, or leave in writing from the officer commanding his company, shall cease to be a member of the company, and shall not be eligible for enrolment in any other Volunteer company for a period of two years.
(0.) That for garrison artillery and Volunteer submarine miners the annual
capitation be 37. 10s, instead of 21. 10s. as at present.
(p.) That the uniform and caps of the submarine branch of the service be
restored to the pattern previously in use.
(4.) That the melical branch of the Defence Forces requires to be reorganised, and your Committee recommend that the general medical list be purged by striking the names therefrom and cancelling the commissions of those medical officers who are unable to perform, or who have not hitherto performed, their Volunteer medical duties.
That the necessary medical and surgical appliances requisite for the Defence Forces be procured and maintained.
That
proper arrangements should be made ensuring that the necessary field and and base hospitals be available in the event of the outbreak of hostilities, and that the requisite arrangements should be made with the principal hospital at each provincial centre for the reception of patients from the field hospitals in time of war.
That the medical officer of each company should give lectures and instruction to a number of the members of his corps upoù first aid to the injured.
That Volunteer medical officers be remunerated for their time in attending camps of exercise according to a scale to be fixed by regulations. (r.) That the number and strength of bearer corps be increased, and that they' be supplied with the necessary equipment, and that the necessary arrange- ments he made for the transport of wounded in case of hostilities.
(8.) That proper arrangements should be made ensuring that sufficient transport
should be available to incet the case of a sudden outbreak of hostilities.
HEADQUARTERS Staff.'
11. Your Committee are of opinion that the headquarters staff in each Volunteer district in the colony requires organising, so as to put the same upon a serviceable footing than at present exists.
IMPERIAL RESERVE.
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12. With respect to the formation of an Imperial Reserve. your Committee recommend that the following provisions shall apply: It shall be open to all officers and men belonging to the ordinary Volunteer corps to become efficient in both services and to enlist for three years in the Reserve. The officers and men so enlisting shall receive a fixed suin of 51. per annum as a personal payment on being certified as efficient, and shall be required to go into camp at stated periods for, say, two weeks in each year, the drills in camp as a Volunteer to count as part of the said two weeks. When in camp, officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates shall be paid such amounts as are prescribed by regulations. The Reserve shall, be formed only upon condition that the Imperial Government shall provide the capital required to purchase the requisite field batteries, rifles, and equipment of the force, the colony paying a sum equal to one half the interest upon such capital. The Imperial Government to provide all necessary horses for the Reserve when on service beyond the colony, but when in the colony the officers and men to provide their own horses. The payment of capitation and the payment of the Reserve when in camp in the colony to be adjusted between the Imperial authorities and the Colonial Government on a population or other equitable basis. When on service outside the colony, within limits to be prescribed by Act of Parliament, the Imperial Government to pay the whole cost connected therewith. The Reserve Force to be liable for service as agreed upon L. 14.
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