PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
C.O.
Reference :-
8855 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE,
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
LONDON
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The Governor has power to order the assembly of courts of inquiry with reference to an officer, and composed exclusively of officers of the volunteer force. The officer commanding the volunteer force may assemble a court of inquiry, composed of officers or volunteers, or both combined, to inquire into any matter relative to any corps or volun- teer or non-commissioned officer of the permanent staff, but such courts have no power to pronounce any judgment as to the course to be taken by the convening authority.
A volunteer rols for an indefinite period of service, and, except when called out for actual military service, may quit his corps under the following conditions:-
(1.) Giving to the commanding officer of his corps fourteen days' notice in writing of his intention to quit hits corps.
(2.) Delivering up in good order, fair wear and tear only excepted, ail arms, clothing, and appointments, being public property, or the property.of his corps, issued to him, or placed under his charge.
(3.) Paying all moneys due or becoming due by him under the Rules of his corps, either before or at the time or by reason of his quitting it.
Persons are not enrolled in the force under the age of 18 years or above 45, except. in the case of trumpeters and buglers. They are subjected to a standard as regards height, chest measurement, sight, and physique generally, to be determined by the examination of a medical officer of the force. Means exist for getting rid of men who have become incapacitated for the performance of their military duties by reason of age or other infirmity.
The Governor may direct the officer commanding the volunteer force to call out such force, or any portion thereof, for actual military service, in case of actual or apprehended invasion of the Colony, or of hostile or predatory attack, or of imminent danger thereof.
When called out for actual military service, the volunteer force (except as regards the infliction of corporal punishment) is subject to the Army Discipline and Regulation Act, and the Articles of War made in pursuance thereof. When not on actual military service, the officer commanding a corps has power to reduce a non-commissioned officer, subject to the approval of the officer commanding the volunteer force, and to summarily discharge a volunteer tor misconduct. Officers are subject to arrest, and non-coin- missioned officers and others to custody, provided they are not so retained longer than whilst the corps is under arms. Volunteers are subject to suspension from military duty pending settlement of the case for which suspended; to fines for minor irregularities and offences against discipline, the same being deducted from pay due, or which may become due. Volunteers are also subject to fines, or, in default, imprisonment for non-delivery of arms, clothing, and accoutrements to commanling officer, as also fines for pawning, destroying, damaging or selling public property issued to them as volunteers; for not keeping uniform in proper order, or wearing it contrary to orders; and finally, for neglecting to pay fines and subscriptions.
Recruits on an average drill four nights a week for three months before they are passed into the ranks. The annual training of the volunteer force consists of six days continuously in camp at Easter, and twenty half-days at detached periods. In addition to which, the artillery attends sho practice, the engineers and torpelo corps lectures, and the infantry a course of musketry. Officers and non-commissioned officers also attend classes of instruction apart from the above. To be entitled to be deemed an efficient, a volunteer must have attended during the year six days' continuous training, and sixteen out of the twenty half-days; also shot practice, lectures, or musketry, as the case may be.
Recruits receive neither pay nor clothing until passed into the ranks. Pay is granted to all ranks as per estimate. To illustrate, however, the system on which pay is granted, I will quote the case of a private :-
(a) 10s. for each day's attendance at continuous training in camp. (6) 5s, for each half-day's attendance at detached periods of training. (c) Bonus of 41. at end of year in consideration of having qualified as an efficient. Thus, although a volunteer failing to qualify as an efficient will not receive the 41. which goes with efficiency, he will still receive pay at the rates indicated in (a) and (b) for such attendance as he may actually have given; but no pay is granted for non-attendance, neither is pay issued specially for shot practice, lectures, or musketry beyond that granted for efficiency, on which it is therefore dependent.
From the foregoing, it may be gathered that radical and important improvements have been effected in the military system as applied to the re-organized volunteer force. By the consolidation of regiments the responsibility and command is now vested in the regimental commanding officer, instead of, as hitherto, in the various captains of batteries and companies comprising the regiment; consequently anity in the administration of discipline and command is secured, together with a more complete and exacting chain of
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responsibility throughout the various ranks, and the practice in peace time of a system of regimental interior economy such as would of necessity have to be observed in time of war, and which indeed is in conformity with the fundamental principles of alı military organisations. By the appointment of professionally trained military men to the staff of regiments and corps, to act as adjutants, sergeant-majors, and quartermaster- sergeants, and paid to devote the whole of their time to the performance of regimental duties, to afford the requisite instruction, and generally to assist their immediate com- manding officers, such prompt attention is given to matters of regimental business as could not be rendered by commanding officers engaged in civil avocations. It is also worthy of note that the principles upon which the reorganisation was effected in 1878 accord in almost every important particular with the recommendations subsequently made by the committee appointed to inquire into and report upon the state of the volunteer forces of Great Britain.
The disciplinary code, whilst more severe than that appertaining to a purely volunteer force, is yet not equal to that of the Imperial militia, inasmuch that during peace the volunteer force is not subject to the Army Discipline and Regulation Act, &c., but to the local enactments and penalties before specified. Judging, however, by the extremely rare occasions on which any irregularities have been committed, these penalties, when combined with a money payment, for services performed, seem sufficient to preserve discipline. As a matter of fact, the force is under control and governed with case. also judge that the service is popular by reason of the absence of complaints and the facility with which the numbers could be increased if necessary.
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The period of continuous training has especially proved of material advantage in facilitating the acquirement of habits of order, regularity, and discipline, in affording an opportunity for the practice of interior economy, and in bringing the various ranks into real military association with each other. This training is assuredly the backbone of the system, and should, if possible, be of longer duration; yet, when combined with the almost fortnightly trainings on half-days, it is, I am inclined to think, as much time as men can be reasonably expected to sacrifice. That the training should be thus distributed over the year, instead of confined to one period (as with the Imperial militia), I look upon as of service in keeping up a military spirit as well as proficiency in drill.
The number of efficients who have qualified during the past year exceeded five-sixths of the entire force.
The rates of pay may not be deemed excessive when it is taken into consideration that most men have either to neglect their business or provide substitutes for two if not three days during continuous training, and that their inilitary exercises throughout the year actually absorb the greater portion of the only time available to them for recreation. It is also to be noted that such rates are almost identical with those of the naval brigade, also serving under the Volunteer Act of 1867, and to which exception has never been taken, either on the score of economy or of the naval brigade being a volunteer corps.
The annual cost, inclusive of proportion of staff, does not exceed 187, head.
per The documents alluded to in this memorandum are laid before the Commission. In conclusion, I take this opportunity of again adverting to the desirability of organising reserves in connexion with both the permanent and volunteer military forces. In the former case, it would be advisable that such civil departments in the Government service as represented by the police, gaols, railway, &c. should be opened as fields of advancement and employment to artillerymen of good character, provided they engaged to enter the reserve for a certain number of years. Men of exceptionally good character might be permitted to enter such service one or two years prior to the termination of their limited engagement. The cost of such a force to be confined to the issue of clothing, arms, accoutrements, and ammunition, with a small annual retaining fee in consideration of mustering for drill at certain periods of the year. The volunteer reserve might be open to persons after two or three years' service in the existing force, as also to those volunteers who had served efficiently for five years under the old organisation; and in consideration of attending, say, ten drills per annum, might be entitled to be deemed efficients. The force to be provided with clothing, arms, accoutrements, ammunition, and the means of instruction as a military body. In order, however, to work this reserve in the most economical and efficient manner, it should be affiliated to the present volunteer force, and have the advantage and assistance of the paid staff of the several regiments and corps.
(Signed) JOHN S. RICHARDSON,
Sydney, March 2, 1881.
Colonel Commandant.
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