CO129-329 - Governor Nathan - 1905 [7-12] — Page 9

Enclosure 2.

7

Colonial Defence Committee have much to recommend them but

as obviously it is undesirable to introduce improvements

in training and administration if they will deter men from

enrolling themselves to be trained and administered,

I

thought it advisable before coming to any decision in the

matter to submit the proposals confidentially to the of-

-ficers of the Corps for their opinion as to whether their

adoption would affect its popularity. I annex a minute

dated the 18th. April by Major A. Chapman now acting as

Commandant on the result of this submission from which you

will see that the only change which the Officers consider

might advantageously be effected would be the appointment

on the expiration of Major Pritchard's term of employment

as Commandant of a suitable and popular civilian to this

office and the further appointment of an Adjutant who

should be seconded from his regiment and liberally paid.

In the face of this opinion in the grounds for which I

concur, I do not propose to make any changes in the system

of training and administration at the present time though

I shall endeavour to arrange for more frequent opportuniti-

-es for the Volunteers to take part in Field and Mobiliza-

-tion Exercises of the regular troops.

6.

In the 6th. paragraph of the

Colonial

6-1043.