Wk trust that, before Parliament rises, something definite and satisfactory will be decided in reference to Volunteer en campments. The "encampment nuis ance" threatens to become a disgraceful institution, and if the authorities do not very promptly intervene to place these affairs on a more reasonable basis they will have a visibly demoralising eflect upon Die community and very seriously im pede the progress of useful military education. More than one competent observer in this Colony, of practical military experience, has condemned the system in the past; but now that the pur pose of volunteering is more pronounced than before, and the possibility of its be coming directly useful for our defence, grows perhaps more apparent, it is time the whole system was exchanged for a stern business-like function, Church parades, and mess dinners and afternoon leas are all very well; so arc canteens in the camp, amlstrulting about the streets, but they arc not soldiering. We depre cate the cultivation of « military spirit, or the formation of a military caste, but we want a defence force— and we want it trained. The ancients re garded it as a Divine law to take lessons from an enemy; and we may well learn from the Doers, how bodies of men pur suing peaceful avocations, may become efficient soldiers. It is not by convivi ality, and by constituting themselves an intolerable nuisance to the community— for that is what half the Volunteer Corps arc when thcy"go-a-camping," The pres ent state of things is simply disgraceful, and if Parliament docs not sternly insist upon it being ullcrcil-the alteration will lie brought about by other and less agree able means, if expert officers changed places with brewers and caterers, it would be to the advantage of the Service. What says the Minister of defence ?

Tut: Fanners' Union Conference at Pal mcrston North is bringing prominently before the eyes of the public the local strength of the combination. No less than thirty-five Unions have been already formed in the Wellington Provincial dis trict ; but these require to be tended, enlarged and strengthened, so that they may become permanent associations doing good work for the Colony. 