CAB9-1_PT1 — Page 398

SECRET.

No. 143 R.

Printed for the use of the Colonial Office. June 2, 1896.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Page 398

C.O. No. 7981.

Report by the Military Commandant for the Year 1895.

Remarks by the Colonial Defence Committee.

THE Colonial Defence Committee desire to express their satisfaction at the much earlier period of the year that this Report has been referred to them than has been the case for many years past. As, however, they have dealt with the New South Wales military forces as recently as the 10th March last in their Remarks on the Report of the Military Commandant for 1894, they have little to add on the present occasion beyond noting that the great improvements in the organization and administration of the forces, initiated by Major-General Hutton at the commencement of his term of command in 1893, have been maintained and developed till its close in 1896. The present state of the New South Wales forces, as inferred from the Report under consideration, reflects great credit on the staff, regimental officers, and men. The Committee trust that the possibility has now been for ever removed of a return to the unsatisfactory condition of affairs which existed at the time of the Report of the Royal Commission of 1892, especially as it will be apparent from the figures given on p. 2 of the present Report that an efficient administration is also an economical one.

The Committee are of opinion that, having regard to the value of labour in New South Wales and to the extent of the permanent defence works that exist in that Colony, an expenditure of 200,000l. per annum for the maintenance of these works and of a peace establishment of nearly 6,000 men with war cadres for over 9,000 is not excessive.

2. The Committee observe that the following recommendations of the Commandant contained in previous Reports, and in which they have already expressed their concurrence, have not yet been carried out :-

(1.) The appointment of a specially selected officer of the Royal Artillery to the command of the artillery forces of New South Wales for a term of three years.

(2.) The appointment of an officer from the Imperial Service to be second in command of the Mounted Brigade for a term of three years.

(3.) The passing of a new Military Act framed on the lines of the draft Federal Agreement in the Report of the Inter-Colonial Military Committee, dated the 5th February, 1896, to supersede the existing Volunteer Acts of 1867 and 1878, which are inapplicable to the partially-paid forces as they now exist.

(4.) The provision of saddlery for the mounted troops of New South Wales of a pattern best suited to insure their horses being kept efficient under the strain of continuous field service.

The Committee desire to draw attention to their Remarks, dated the 31st January, 1896, and the 10th March, 1896, on these points.

3. The satisfactory results of the annual field training (p. 3, clause 9) are noted. The Committee strongly indorse the opinion expressed by the

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