NEW COMMANDANT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 915, 7 September 1910, Page 5

NEW COMMANDANT.

COLONEL GODLEY/APPOINTED;

DISTINGUISHED CAREER. :(;-i :-] SALARY, £1000; TERM, FIVE YEARS.h; ;V; When the House of Representativea ': ■;,; resumed its sittings iost .night, the Prime .;-■'; Minister announced that he received a cablegram on September 4 as /follows:—::':;.; "His Majesty the. King .'has; ap-. :■;.■] proved the .appointment;':of .Colonel ....':::V ] Godley us ; Commandant of: the .New.;- ;>,,■■ J Zealand' Forces, with .the ,'tomporaryi.v; ;• . rank of major-general.".. .'.-:.;•-•.: • Continuing his remarks,' : Sir Joseph, .:'•/ stated ;that,Colonol Gudley bad had a; /', distinguished career. ,He -was : born'., in : ; ; - i . 18G7-" : He.' •;was 'appointed lieutenant in the Dublin-'Fusiliers^on:; August 25, ISSG; 'adjutant;.' ; ,;' ; ,: : - 1889, to November 7,1890; -captain of the': : ' :' Irish Guards, November -6, 1895, teoiber 1, 1901. Lieutenant-colonel November 29, 1900;, colonel / brevet, ruary 13, 1905." He. was on. special service : : --'l in South Africa, June 15, 1899, to June; ■'-':< 3, 1900; he was AXG.; South' Africa," ;-V.,J June A,- 1900, to August 28/1900; command-- . ; ': 4 in" brigudo, South Africa, August 29 to -,:i : February 1„; 1901. Ihen.Colonel vGodloy' 7 :4; was D.A.A.G., mounted infantry, Alder-' ■ , .;' shot, and ' Ist army corps;.- February 19,'-''' '-''• v 1901, tq--.April 30, 1903; commandant of : School-.of Mounted Infantry,. Aldershot, ':' * May 1, 1903, to February 28,1306; general-:' ■'j .staff .officer, first grade, second '■'•' division, 'i-' Aldershot,' March 1, 190G, to March; I,'- -' S 1910.; 'In the.'course'-of •' his 'outline -of -'■' '' -V, 'j Colonel Godley's career, Sir. Joseph men- ; ''■ tioned that he,was present.' at .the defence 7 - 7 v of Mnfeking;-had been mentioned in'dis- -' 1 patches on several- occasions, in 'South ■..;- ', Africa, and that his-decorations included'-■'■■''.-V; tee Queen's .medal with, ; : three'/::clasps.-'' :::! His; record: was undoubtedly '■ a. .very fine : --;-;: ".;■:'. one; and' he- understood- that'ho a v : ; '.V- : >"t most capable man in every way. • •'.■••■)'':•'"-'-'■/; _Mr. Massey . inquired when" •Colonel : 'vi Godley -was likely to arrive; also "the 'Cv-.'-i term..of appointment, and .'the 'salary. ■ ?■■•■■'' M i; --The Prime .Minister said that he could ; ' ; :] not state the-exact.date of 'his .arrival;: ;/vj He would know, however, in the course':''.< of a few days.: It would : hot; be' veryi ■'-'■:':-$ long before he arrived in.'New The salary • was .£IOOO, and ■' house allow- •■'-: \f ance was to be -.£2OO periannum.'. Colonel | Godley-would be taking, the'..place 'ot':: 7 :' ■:':] four officers who'.were .receiving .£525 each, 7 ftSij Mi. Massey: Any/definite term!' "'•:--■-: il .. Sir / Joseph: The : term - is, I. think, fivo : ; - -i years. •.■.-■ ;.'-.■ ':' .-;;'-.':; -. -..'■ ;--....; :- : : -->

Mr.-.T.E. Taylor (Christolmrcli. North) said... that he ihoped the Government was ,:. ;?! not going to sweat the 1 hew commandant■•';-■-..■'! by. requiring him to do the .'work of four '?';?! men.- ;. -.■..' ,■■■•'•■'.-"■. '■■'.-.:-/ -■; ■:,;.-..••-. -/,;..:; /?•?? ?] Sir Joseph; Wo don't ; sweat- anybody?'?■';' except ourselves.: •.,; v' ;:? - , :,.,■':;

The Staff. ,Mr. Allen: Is there any arrangement as to slafl.

'..- Sir. Joseph: A staff-officer ;: .will:"aco6ni.? pany him." ■.:-/..■;.?;.;..•;;-;.- :•/'•■./ .. Mr Allen: From England?? '■■ .; ■■:' ■ : ???'' ..Sir Joseph: lea. ? v ■■•' '"■'.-' !■;.••.'.'" . Mr. Allen: Did ho select him P -.-. : . Sir Joseph: Yes.' , ! ■?;.::-/: './,; .-??:■./ ?Mr.:Taylor ordinary statement, that-an;, officer who - was to get £ 1000, with a -house allowance- - of .£2OO, was to do the work .which the Government had been foolish enough to : pay four.; officers/at .£525 previously.:?;- ; ? ! Sir, ; Joseph' Ward : replied that:Mr'.:Tay-': : lor had put the position ,very unfairly.-V. For some years the .'commandant system' ?! was4n- foree.-but each-of "the. eommaiid;:"' ants had; laboured under a disability of-: having, a great deal, of -'internal wort'. irT v ' coimectinn ;with ■. tlio .-Department, '■• on ; well?;i as external, work' in connection with train-;* •'■ ..ing., .jEach of. the commandants had done 4' mis best;'and all'were'.very.'ca'pable'men.-s There; was, .however, a good-deal of.'criti--"-cisin as regards tbewhole; system of defence prior to: the; creation 5f the Defence-, Council.'; The Council was created with the object of removing:'the disabilities ''- existing, under;,the;fdrmer' It-had:;,' a reasonable;.trial,- but.'this country <was?.too small to follow, in the woke of. the - system -in the Home Country, which also, he:believed, existed -in; Australia. -The" result was that the system did not work;? satisfactorily? '. The Government,;' there?''■ fore, came; to the conclusion; that it: was;, -/ desirable .to get. an experienced 'man-of;? high standing, for the. flosition' of r conn:? manda'nt;;';.TJiider.,', "the, y new.. system/, in,,?: which, the "commandant, irould' have'. premV charge.' 'the ; old defect 'in'^ to.the,-civil.side tothe:internal arrange-'?' ments; would' be overcome? The,' ncw'cpm-!?! mandant would to'-free."l6; carry: on' His?.'.. important in. every .way.; .??';-': .':;' '■■'•'■: Objection at this stage ■.' was /raised - : by '.' ■' Mr;'; Russell: as; to. whether:: the' discussibu'-.;> .was in;order.'?-' ':'-"-??"?' -'■""...•■■■■-'.■?:' _ The Speaker said:that;he thought lead-..,, ing members should be allowed to express '.? their-Mrlews'..■;.--. ;,,';; ; ??!;'.' : ? - ■:-:,:■"■ ?' ,; Mr. Glover:; How. many.. are: there ?:? Mr.. Speaker:; Only thosri', who'; ;think,:; they...can. give a, lead on'lhu: : (|uestidn;': • (Laughter.);: ■;-..'• ;.;",:; i._'.:. . .: ;.' ????.?: The'Commandarit and,,thei Minister!??;; -Mr: Allen'.(Bruce); asked?: the vi Prime if Minister to. make moro clear;the 'position?:, as regards the commandant and i the'iMin- ? ister; for .Defence., He lus'ion;which he fancied.;was,satisfactory.?.; Under the old system there was a'cml:?;; officer betn - eoii the ;two.:; All,- the ;cpm>? ; ,' mandant's recommendations, went through.?? this official to' the; Minister withjthe. ■suit; that V.there,'■: was 'chaos.?. ;Hp; hoped ;;■; that the commandant would have.control.,' of'-' the \whole of his 'JDopartment--jsubject;-.,-. of course,.to .the Minister.; As regards;.. Colonel Godley he'', believed he ; was: - an.. exceptionally good man—equal to "Colonel >■;■■. Kirkpatrick,i or nearly.-;s6.?'r?■-?''.'.;':- : .?: V-, -.' .The. Prime 'Minister, said; ; that"-; uppn\, : ; the Defence Bill he would: make a/.tm?? thcr statement regardingLthe;matter!^Tl|B:;\ intention'; was that; the commandant;. should '■' have in ■'the; strictest 'senseVtha ; fullest /'opportunity ..of being ? iu; direct ;" touch with the Minister., ';.■•■.' ?:',"■ i ? ; ;: 5: ..'Mr..:'Allen:', Will -he', recommond;; the?.; Defence .'EstimatesP : ; ?;? ? !;??;: ;??- ! : ; i ■Sir/Joseph: Hp will; have the full; .fe-:v sponsibility of .everything, connected with, i';.:" his i Department.?lt would: be'necessary,; ; he■'continued, that, there .should* bo. 'an v., executive 'officer under tli'e, cummaiidaiit;; to: do : the executive work,\ otherwise the';/ commandant could not-'carry?on? .??? Mr. Massey: .When jyill' ths' Defehce/; : ; Bill be:discussedr -:■,::?■/..',: Sir/ Joseph: When, you:have done'be- ;;i ing interviewed and,misrepresenting, position outside. ; ~;';.,'.. ? ■"-. : v -, Mr.; Massey: I ask you to .prove the?? directness of your'assertion';:?':,■':;:; ->??,.•? : Sir Joseph: I hnist give an- interview"■'..' ■to 'the press: (Laughter.) I can't .givo the exact date when- 'the*Bill will come'•■'; oh. There is other business which I want to get through, first.., ■'; .?'" / J '-7::f? A voice:' What about the Land'Bill ?.:,;, . Sir- Joseph:;lf would- un- , dertake not to resist ;that Bill we could':..'•■ pass, it to-morrow? ;' t "??/:,''-.'..-;

Colonel Godley, having completed -is four years' term as Grnerttl ibtaj OElwr in the Second Division at Aldeishot m March, last, was then duo for promotion to tho lank of brigadiei-goneral, and retired on half-pi} pending a vacancy He is senior to Colonel Kirkpatrick, who new holds tho position of Inspector-General of tho Commonwealth Torces wi'h tho rank of major genual, which rank w,ll al«o be conlened upon tho Commands it of the New Zcilnnu Porcos upon his arrival.in tho Dominion;