DEFENCE SCHEME.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 253, 6 August 1937, Page 4

DEFENCE SCHEME.

THE MOUNTED RIFLES UNITS. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. o,ne of the first steps to be taken by the Government in the reorganisation of the land forces of the Dominion will, iff is reported, be the centralisation of control of Mounted Rifle Brigades throughout the country. Indications that drastic changes in the control and organisation of the defence forces are intended have been given on several occasions by Cabinet Ministers recently, but nothing definite has yet been announced and permanent staff officers in Christchurch and elsewhere have as little knowledge of the Government’s intentions as the general public. At present there are three mounted rifle units in the South Island, and one of these, the Nelson regiment, will, under the proposed schema, be converted to a mechanised squadron forming part of the South Island mounted regiment. The remaining two units, the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry and the Otago Mounted Ilities, will then become mounted squadrons of the same regiment. The control of the regiment will be centralised under a southern commanding officer instead of there being three separate headquarters sections as at present. This scheme, for which no official confirmation has been obtained, will have the effect of submerging the identity of units which have, in the history of wars in which New Zealand Forces have taken part, built up valuable traditions. They have had the distinction of maintaining through all the changes which have taken place from time to time a separate regimental organisation for each province. Within the last year lour of the regiments have had presented to them regimental guidons bearing their distinctive badges and inscribed with the battle honours which have been conferred on ifiem. What effect the new organisation will have on these distinctions when each regiment is reduced to a squadron in status will not be determined until the Minister for Defence issues a statement on the reorganisation of the defence forces. Indications that drastic changes were to be expected were given earlier in the year when Mr J. A. Lee, M.P., addressed the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association in conference on the Government’s proposals. At the end of the address a motion supporting the Government’s defence programme was passed by the association. One aspect of the address, it is believed, was that the main feature of all reorganisation will be the rapid mechanisation of as many units as possible.