«i — (FBOM A COIURKSrONDENT.) WELLINGTON, August 14. The following passages occur in thft re port of the 'Commander of the Forces on the defences of the colony: — I must again jx>int out (says the Com mandant) that owing to the" increase of armament and: electric installations, the strength of the Permanent Force is inad equate. We should have an increase of 15 men in No. 1 Company and 10 men in No 2 Company to efficiently provide for care of stores, etc. Should" t-lia "New South Wales Government again invite us to send any officers or men m No. 1 Company to undergo a course of jjunn-ery in Sydney, I most strongly urge that the offer be accept ed. Every corps in the colony has to put in a certain amount in camp during the year, but in .all cases, except that of the mounted corps, the men only sleep in camp and put in morning «,nd evening parades, going to their usual civilian work during the day. What is wanted is an extended course of out door instruction. He continues: —I liave tried in every way to encourage the volunteers to come out as often as (possible for daylight drills tin the open, bub hitherto I have met with little success. Sanction has been given for volun teers to liold she daylight parades annually, each (parade carrying a ipersonal payment of 2s 6d per (head to the men. The amount earned; tfor these -parades last year was only £638 18s. This year the timo of the Easter camps was extended: to seven days for "every man wfc-o wished to stay in caimp, full allowances being paid for each. It was only in the Wellington district that any ad vantage was taken of this, and out of the vrhole force only 420 men remained in camp for "the seven days.
