The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 66
Volunteers
Volunteers.
The various branches of the Volunteer Force on the 30th June, 1885, had a total strength of 9,511 officers and men, including
1,592 cadets, belonging to 154 corps. The totals of each branch of the service were as follow :—
Garrison Corps. | ||
---|---|---|
Corps. | Strength. | |
Cavalry | 9 | 537 |
Mounted Infantry | 2 | 78 |
Naval Artillery | 18 | 1,169 |
Artillery | 13 | 835 |
Engineers | 3 | 166 |
Rifles | 40 | 2,793 |
Cadets | 24 | 1,592 |
Country Corps. | ||
33 | 1,648 | |
Honorary Corps. | ||
12 | 693 |
In October, 1881, when it was decided to advance against Te Whiti at Parihaka, the Districts of Auckland, Nelson, Marlborough, Wellington, and Canterbury were called upon for volunteers for active service, and readily afforded a contingent of 64 officers and 1,048 men, while hundreds were anxious to go whose services were not accepted. The campaign was, however, only demonstrative, as the Maoris suffered themselves to be taken into custody without offering resistance; but the officer commanding the forces recorded his high appreciation of the exemplary and soldierlike manner in which the whole force behaved under the circumstances.