NEW DEFENCE SCHEME.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 880, 28 July 1910, Page 4

NEW DEFENCE SCHEME.

PROPOSED STAFF CORPS. "The staff corps suggested by Lord Kitchener in his defence memorandum has not been overlooked," said the Prime Ministei in tbt! House of Representatives, in reply tu Mr. James Allen, "nor will thu appointments ho made without proper qualification. Entrance to the staff corps, to be eventually established, vvill be subject to examinations and qualifications considered necessary by the Director of Hjlifary Training, and Education, under the instructions of the Commandant. The officers and'N.C.O.'s, of the ranks of lieutenants and sergeants, now being selected, are being taken on six months' probation, when, if they prove. themselves qualified, they will be enrolled in the New Zealand Militia. There is 110 necessity to delay the appointment of these officers until • after the Commandant arrives, as they will still be in the probationary stage at that time. The appointment of captains and majors will b» held over until the new Commandant arrives."

A commandant of the forces has not yet been selected. j\u information is yet tu Jiand regarding the Director of Operations and Intelligence. Mr. T. E. Taylor asked whether the Prime Minister was ignoring Lord Kitchener's emphatic- suggestion that no permanent staff officers under tlie new defence schemi' should-be appointed from amongst' the officers at present connected with the headquarter's staff. The reply states, inter alia, that one of the first duties of the Director of Military Training and Education, after, his arrival, will be to draw up conditions and qualifications necessary ftft- officers who may eventually be appointed to -the staff corps. It will be years before such a corps can bo completed. • Mr. Allen asked whether the Imperial Defence Committee, the Colonial Defence Committee, or any Imperial authority recommended that the defences of Lyttelton and lluntdm harbours should be abandoned on the score of expense or for any other reason, and if Lord Kitchener agreed with this recommendation; and, if not, what did he suggest tor the defence of those harbours. Sir Joseph Ward replied that the communications with the bodies named in the question are all of such a highly confidential and secret natuio that it is not considered advisable to give details, but the. advice regarding harbour defences, _ from the sources named in question, is, and will continue to be, closely followed.