COLONEL DAVIES'S APPOINTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 10

COLONEL DAVIES'S APPOINTMENT.

Sir,—When reading in your muchvalued paper tho report that Colonel Davics had been'offered ajid accepted > brigade command at Aldershot, I was somewhat amazed, and oven now I can hardly believe the report. It seems incredible, with hundreds of officers a hundred times -senior, and this applies to. every detail, should be passed 'over, for .this officer's hurried advancement. I feel so certain that thore must bo a mistake. Well, if such is a fact, I ask: What wero thoso in authority thinking about to allow, an officer to go Home for instruction, pay his salary, all extra allowances, and then, allow him to drift away to apparently suit his own ends, and at a time when ho was most wanted in the Dominion; when every officer especially those who have been educated at our expense should be , called iipon to assist in making our Territorials, a success. This at a time when we are importing a number of highly-paid officers from the Imperial Forces to fill various positions here; and I know from past experience that it takes most of those imported officers over t year to know where they are as regards colonial soldiering? I am stating here what no one of any military experience can refute.

■ Now,- what is done in the. Commonwealth when-they send officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers Home, and I have known a good few sent Home? Although they aro serving on tho permanent staff of the said forces, they are required to enter into a further agreement that on the completion, of their instruction at Homo, when they return they must serve with the Commonwealth Forces, not less, than five years, and I think this is only right. 1 must, say I do not altogether blame the Minister for Defence. L blame his immediate advisers; who should know better. I also see by a more recent report that another district commander is being sent Home for instruction; that at a send-off given in his honour he is reported to have said he did not bolievo that Colonel Davies was going to stop airay for long, and that h<? would return. What must this officer ■be .'thinking about?., IJdes ,ho think that an officer can be appointed to take the high rank of brigadier in a Homo regiment and leave it in a few months? As far as I havo seen of ' the staff officers here, and I must say I am quite conversant with every detail of what I am stating, I would strongly advise our Government to send as many staff officers, etc., Home for special instruction as can be spared, .-' because the majority of them, from what I have seen of their work, want Homo instruction badly. Thanking you for trespassing on your space.—l am, etc., ONE WHO KNOWS. Wellington. Sir,—Regarding the appointment of Colonel Davies to an Imperial command, is it not possible .that somo.-jnisapprchen-sion (jxists'-as" to", the. exact position? 1 am. liifdrnied on good-.authority that •Coloncl'pavies,'having completed a course at'the "Staff College, has- now,' in accordance A with. the;, recognised practice, ■been ■■ placed temporarily, in command of •'a brigade for.,the purpose ,v o£; gaining experience;'but, of the iNe.w.-'i'Zeoland Government. So many strand." statements;-' have. 1 been* made 'by ouri-Prime; Minister—perhaps -this ' announcement of Colonel Davies's Imperial appointment is. another!—l am, etc., :■! ;■""•-■-;■;■■ ■;-^" :^-; ;;^SALIBNT.' !;;