PRO PATRIA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 571, 28 July 1909, Page 5

PRO PATRIA.

THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND. AOmZBN ABMY. :; ••' ':, .- '',-".■ [.■,:.■'.:■'';,., : ;ii. : . ; ' : v- • : '.;-'''.-;; ;^ In Thb Dominiok of yesterday's date ther« appeared a general outline of a suggested scheme for tie organisation, /of a citizen army of defence, which formed the subject of an address delivered fay Captain 6.' S. RidM,rdson, : Chief Instructor of Artillery, to the members of the Artillery Officers' Club on Monday evening last. It should be mentioned -What in discussing questions of thisnature the artillery officers; have no desire to influence the general policy of defence, either one way'or another, but have simply set themselves to solvb, for'their own ocufioation, and. incidentally, thb oniightonment of the public; some of the with' which this country would bo faced in Uio cvont of compulsory military training being introduced.

Supply of Officers. ' After giving a review of tho general ponrta of- the scheme, Captain Richardson-prooecds \ to'expound some suggestions on the very vital question of the supply, of officers. ; "In.' ' the organisation and training of a national citizen force the greatest problem of all would be tHio supply of officers, for upon them will the. success of .the waolo move- . nicnt depend.; It is m each district, a Selection Board of experienced of- : floors be .formed for the purpose of selecting from the ranks of the non-commissioned officers suitable candidates for promotion to cojninissioncd rank, and on selection .to be ; transferred to a Bpeoial company in each dis- • i triot, called the 'District ■ Officers' Training ;:' Oompany,' which would be trained by quoh- - fiedstaff officers and N.C.O.'s. The same, amount of time vrould bo devoted to' train-, ing in this company as in other units, bui .': the work would bo carried out with a viewy to fitting the members for ojmmißsioncd r rank. When vacancies occurrodmi any unit ■-.■■ for ' commissioned', officers they:! should . be filled from the 'Officers' Training Company.' : , Under universal training, high, low, rich,i : and} poor alike wfll-have to bear arms, and sa I v the selection'of officers is to bo made entirely J V from the ranksof the N.C.O.'s,;-tSx> Boleotiba' : being' based upon efficiency, zeal,' ability toy 1 : command, 'and general fitaess-for promotion? , to'highor, rank,- the officers wonld'bo com--' liosed of: the best material in .'the oouatryii Officers and N.C.O.'s for the new force would ' in.the .first place bo. furnished from the pre- \- , sent .'volunteer:force,! and. there BhouhTbb » little, difficulty in..getting officers .; for.'tho ■ ;.. .fiT^:;two i :years.'..'But.as,'9io numbers of the,.'•'• now force increase it would be necessary to y draw . on.;,the : 'Training. Companies' for, of- '•7 fibers."'"' ',-' ", ':■ '■■..,'",■■■:'. ''■' V-':'" : . : :- ! '- ":'■.■:..

Tho' Passing of tho Volunteors. Universal military training undor tho suggested scheme could bo adopted quite easily and with very little strain on die present staff for tho first year, if tho transition wore caniod out as follows:— (a) Officers and non-commissioned officers of tho present forcer would bo asked to* sign on under' tho new conditions. All other volunteers between tho ages of 18 and 21' would remain with their units to complete their term of service. Those over 21 and under 24 years of age would bo transferred to tho Second Line, and all ovor 24 years of ago would bo allowed to transfer to tho Tliiia Lino if they so wished. {b) Tho present units wonld bo reanm-i ,berod, and to form tho.nucleus of tho now force. It is suggested that men of the present ', volunteer force should, on completion of their tiaining, or on reaching tho ago of 24, bo transferred to tho Third Lino if they so dosiio. It should also be made optional for men who ha\o served their period in tho First and Second Lino to continue in tho Third Lino up to thp ago of, 40. It is' probable that a largo proportion of men would ho keen enough to voluntarily continue to servo up to the age limit m the Third Line. Officers and N.C.O's. would bo allowed to re--1 tiro on completion of their service, but hhould bo induced to servo up to tho ago limit by being offered special advantages as a loward for extending their service. If, '- ' however, men did not extend their 60rvico with the Third Line, it wonld not affect tb3s' scheme, as all men who had served .their six years would bo fit to take their place in the ranks on an emergency, and should bo considered as belonging to a Fourth Lino up to the ago of 40, and although thoy would not bo required to undergo_ any, • annual i training, they should be considered as liable for service in time of war. I I ' . District Divisions. All units should bo_ organised on the samo basis as in tho Imperial service. This would bo most necessary if onr local defence is to bo co-ordinated with, any scheme of perial defence. At present onr batteries, companies, and battalions have only ibout half the establishment of corresponding unite in tho regular army. This would cans© s difficulty and confusion whan colonial unite ~ wore being organised for war to operate with Imperial troops. For the first year it would be impossible to organise tho forces into anything bigger than company or battery units, but after threb years the, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago districts would each bo able to organise ft division of the following strength:— NiCO'B.and , Units. Officers, men, Total. I Stiff for administration and mstruotion in peace » , time only), paid officials 18 50 60 Field Artillery Brigade (2 battalions), with ammunition column '... 20 683 703 Garrison Artillery (4 companies) 25 400 . 425 Engineers (2 cdmuanics) ... 8 253 201 Mounted • Brigade (3 battalions M.R.) 88 1,866 1,952 Infantry Brigade (4 battalions.) 113 2,474 2.557 ■ Field Ambulance ...........;. 10 '... 241 ' 251 Transport and Supply 8 148 15G Total 280 G. 115 6,395 Hawko's Bay, Taranaki, and Nelson districts would each 'be able to furnish >'■ bat-, talion of infantry and several squadrons of mounted rifles. 'Mailborough and Westland would furnish about ono squadron fjid tno i companies each, i • f (To ho continued.) ' N