DEFENCE PROPOSALS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 810, 6 May 1910, Page 5

DEFENCE PROPOSALS.

COMPULSORY TRAINING. AGE LIMIT TO BE RAISED. IMPORTANT ANTTOTTNCEMENT BY TUB PEIMB MINISTER. (By TelozraDh—Press Association.! Winton, May 5. In the course of his speech at Winton this evening tho Prime Minister (Sir. Joseph Word), after reviewing tho recent dovelopmenfe in the naval and military defence of the Empire, made somo important announcements with regard to tho military defence of the Dominion. He referred in terms of satisfaction to the nery attained and to the steady increase artillery) and the high standard of gunnery attained and the the setady increase in the enlistments to tho forces, and went on to say that since the adoption last year of the principle of compulsory trainiDg in New Zealand much had already been done towards putting the new scheme of defence into effect. What Has Been Done. The establishments necessary to remodel the force on modern lines were now completed, showing the organisation for peace tor each corps and unit in the separate districts; provision made for brigades of mounted rifles, infantry, artillery, field ambulance, engineers, signalling companies, supply and ammunition columns, etc., and the necessary transport arrangements. The war establishments were the same as for the Imperial. As indicated in the Budget, was to be expended in three years for equipment, at the rate of .£50,000 per annum. The first of these orders has already been forwarded, principally for small arms and armament, machine guns, camp and field equipments, and sample vehicles for first line transport as patterns to enable further supplies to be manufactured in the Dominion.

Two qualified officers of' the Imperial General Staff had been cabled for, and these officers on arrival take up the verj important duties of director of military training and education and director, of military operations and intelligence respectively. They wonld also initiate and supervise the necessary schools of iiistnretion. The new regulations were practically complete, and will be issued as soon as the legal process of review and gazetting could be carried out. In the meantime provision for the maintenance of the forces as to pay and capitation had already been made, and the conditions of service for the selection of officers would be published next week. Twenty-eight officers and 28 non-coms, would be appointed as. soon as possible to enable a commencement to be made in the work of reorganising the force, and getting under way the necessary instructions and subsequent training of those liable to serve under the compulsory clauses of the Act. The officers would all, he hoped, be New Zealanders, or at least have been attached to the New Zealand service for some time past. The subdivdsion of the Dominion into districts, and of these districts into subdivisions and areas, was practically completed, and would be availablo by the time the necessary officers and non-coms, were selected. The selection of two training grounds, one in each island, was being carried out. All the preliminary work of acquiring them would be completed within the next month, and their preparation for the purposes to which they were to be devoted will be commenced and pushed on without delay. "Since the Defence Aot of 1909 was placeu in tho Statute Bdok," said the Prime Minister, "we have had the' opportunity of receiving the advice of field-Marshal Lord Kitchener, who is generally recognised to be one of tho greatest living authorities upon military questions. In the middle of February last that distinguished officer arrived in New Zealand, and viewed the defences nud forces of the Dominion, and furnished the Government with a memoranAfter careful consideration" the Government deoided to adopt these, with some slight alterations with respect to the suggested rates of pay for. the higher officers. 20,000 Territorials. ■ ;

"It is proposed to fix our numbers at 20,000. Wβ estimate that between the ages 10 to 25 we have in tlio Dominion 65,(100 men to draw upou, exclusive of 19,142 junior cadets from 12 to 14, 33,251 senior cadets from U to 18, and 10,096 recruits from 18 to 19. It is intended to put into .operation Lord Kitcheuer'3 sy& tem of 'areas,' and to adopt his 'quota' basis, the value of which is Us facility ■for home training and the elasticity and ease with which It admits of expansion to meet increase of population." The Prime Minister then gave the statement already published showing the yearly "quota" required, under Lord Kitcheners scheme, to be enrolled ill the Territorial Fore* to maintain it al a peace establishment of 18,800 men between the ages of-19 and 25 years, or, with officers, 20,139 men. .'•.■■•.. In addition, there would be 3690 recruits in training and 2610 twenty-five ' to twenty-six-year men available to at once augment the peace establishment. "I mayodd," he. continued, "that the expenditure iiuilvod! is well within our meai)3, and can bo provided for out of the .650,000 for three years that is to be expended for-equipment. ■ Age Limit Raised to 25. "From these figures it will be noticed," continued the Prime Minister, "that it' is intended to increase tue age limit for compulsory training in the eeneial training section from 21 to 25 years. This is necessary in order to make.our scheme fit in with that recommended by Lord Kitohener." "QUOTAS" EXPLAINED. "Increasing the age of service to 25 years does not mean that the 65,000 men liable under the scheme are called up, but that 'quotas', are taken annually from each area to form the 20,000 territorials, and, in addition 3690 of the eighteen to nineteen-year men. are taken for recruit training. Out of these numbers, allowing for wastage, 2610 men will, in the 25th and 26th year of age, be called upon for muster parade only, although they will be hold, in readiness to at once, take their place ,in the force if requirM. This will augment the 20,000 to a trained service of 26,000 as a first litvt of military defence, and in addition to this 2700 will bo annually passed to reserve. This moans that in 5 years the territorials and the trained reserves that have passed through them will give lis a total of 39,800 of a fullytrniued efficient forco. . TRAINING TEE OFFICERS. "Eagardihg Lord Kitchener's recommendations for the training of officers at a military college, it is intended if the Commonwealth consents to the proposal that has been made to it by the iNew Zealand Government to send ten cadets per annum to the military college to be established in Australia, Parliament will bo asked to amend the Defenco Act of last year so as to admit of these recommendations of Lord Kitchener not already provided for, to be embodied in (ho Act and so aa to havo the full authority to give effect to what I beliovo will prove a thoroughly up-to-dnto and efficient system. BIELE CLTJBS. ' "Tho riflo clubs will be continued in addition to our defenco forces and an increase in tho issue of ammunition to each efficient member and also an extendod purchase of ammunition at a reduction in cost will be allowed them. Tho number of drills also required annually under tho present regulations will bo abolished. With these alterations I should expect to find a marked improvement and a .greatly increased interest taken in tho riilo clubs Of tho Dominion."