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462
and I would make it a condition of the loan of arms and issue of ammunition at cost price that members joining would formally engage to enrol themselves under the Ordinance if called upon to do so in the event of an emergency arising and that they should not quit the Association within a year of joining it without leave.
Such an engagement could not, without legislation, be legally enforced but it would emphasize the purpose of the Association and with the class of members that is anticipated would no doubt be faithfully observed.
5.
I shall be obliged by your furnishing me with your opinion as to the advisability of reviving this former project. In giving this opinion you will no doubt consider whether the volunteer reserve Company could be usefully employed under the Scheme of Defence for the Colony bearing in mind that although the Association might contain about 100 Members probably not more than 50 Volunteers could be counted on as available at any time throughout prolonged operations and that the nature of their ordinary avocations, which would only to some extent be interrupted by war or internal trouble, would make it desirable to allot them to some post in the immediate neighbourhood of Victoria.
5.
Another proposal that has been put before me is to raise a small mounted corps. With regard to a previous suggestion to this effect the Volunteer Committee of 1889, in its first report submitted in 1898, stated as follows:- "The Committee "do not concur in the proposals for the formation of a Mounted "Troop as originally suggested. The utility of it seems very doubtful in a mountainous country like this. Mount patrols, with an "efficient field telegraph and system of signalling carefully "organised would be far more effective".
7.
Since the Committee reported as above there has been some change in the conditions due to the construction of some excellent military roads and I am not sure that you would not
AH KAY
462
and I would make it a condition of the loan of arms and issue of
ammunition at cost price that members joining would formally en-
gage to enrol themselves under the Ordinance if cailed upon to do
so in the event of an emergency arising and that they should not
quit the Association within a year of joining it without leave.
Such an engagement could not without legislation, be legally en-
forced but it would emphasize the purpose of the Association and
with the class of members that is anticipated would no doubt be
faithfully observed.
5.
I shell be obliged by your furnishing re
with your opinion as to the advisability of reviving this former
project. In giving this opinion you will no doubt consider whether the volunteer reserve Company could be usefully employed under the
Schene of Defence for the Colony bearing 10 mind that although the
Association wight contain about 100 Members probably not more than
50 Volunteers could be counted on as available at any tire through-
out prolonged operations and that the nature of their ordinary
avocations, which would only to some extent be interrupted by war
or internal trouble, would aake it desirable to allot then to some
post in the immediate neighbourhood of Victoria.
5.
Another proposai that has been put before re
is to raise a small mounted corps. With regard to a previous sug-
gestion to this effect the Volunteer Committee of 1889, in its
first report submitted in 1898, stated as follows:- "The Committee "do not concur in the proposals for the formation of a Mounted "Troop as originally suggested. The utility of it seems very doubt-
"ful in a mountainous country like this. Hoot patrois, with an
"efficient field telegraph and system of signalling carefully
"organised would be far more effective".
7.
Since the Committee reported as above there
has been sore change in the conditions due to the construction of
some excellent military roads and i am not sure that you would
not
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