On Wednesday last we published a Welling ton telegram notifying the appointment of Mr J. E. Hume, son of Lieutenant-colonel Hume, inspector of prisons and volunteers, to a sub-lieutenancy in the Defence depart ment, and conveying the further intimation that Mr Hume would be attached to either the Torpedo Corps or the Permanent Militia. The telegram went on to state that in reply to inquiries, Captain Russell, Minister of Defence, stated that he knew nothing of the appointment, as it was made before he joined the Ministry, but he understood that it was made in accordance with a long standing promise by the Government. Both the nature of the questions put to Captain Kussell, and the tone of the message, were suggestive of the circumstance that the appointment had created consider able local surprise, and we awaited with some interest the receipt of our Wel lington files with further particulars. From these we now find that the appointment has met with unsparing condemnation, and almost altogether, upon intrinsic grounds. It is alleged that Mr Hume has been unable to find a resting place in any of the half-dozen departments of the public service he has been employed in, and the New Zealand Times goes so far as to say that it will be discredi table to the Defence department and the colony if the appointment is confirmed. We are unable to speak as to the personal fitness or unfitness of the appointee, but we have a very firm opinion that the appointment is undesirable on general grounds. The per manent defence force is the nucleus of the defensive preparations of the colony. Young, active, and well-educated men are attracted to it, and it is beyond question that there are plenty of men in the existing force who could very easily satisfy the most stringent requirements for commissions, If these men find that there is no possibility of rising beyond a non-commissioned officer ship—that commissions are to be given without examination or previous service, and, worst of all, to the relations of high officials, it is hopeless to expect them to remain, or others like them to join. We do not suppose piany young men of the class which have hitherto come forward would be disposed to do so if the anly prospect were a policeman's uniform or a warder's baton. 