THE NEW COMMANDANT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 994, 8 December 1910, Page 4

THE NEW COMMANDANT.

TnEitF, arc two facts which give a particular importance to the arrival of. the new Commandant, MajorGeneral GoDLEY. In the first place, ifc is so long sinoo'.'wc ■ had a Commandant that the rc-filling, or rccstablisbment, of the office will for most people invest our defence sys- ■ tern , with something like reality. The second fact is that since our . last Commandant left there has been effected a fundamental change in the fkiencc laws, It ia not too much to

say—and General Godley will pot bo with us long before he realises this—that after many years of trifling and -make-believe New Zealand is about to make a belated beginning with a real system of homo defence. The new Defence Act is defective, but it contains the means for establishing a fairly good force of properly trained men. Its success, will depend in no small degree upon the new Commandant. Ho has no doubt gathered some facts concerning the work of his predecessors, and these facts may bo trusted to strengthen him in tho conviction that if he is to do any real good he must insist on haying a control free from political interference. The New Zealand public knows that in the past the eftorts of tho Commandants- were thwarted by Ministerial interference, opposition and obstruction, The public knows, too, tho feelings of these officers on their shaking the dust of New Zealand from their feet. General Godley may rely upon receiving the loyal support of tho public in any endeavours he may make to go his way uninfluenced by any person, of however high a position, and bent simply upon .providing the country with what it keenly desires and 'has never had, namely, a real defence force. Defence.has too long been a dull and unreal game with us. We trust that General Godley will realise that tho Government is pledged to givo him a free hand. That the selection of his staff and area officers will rest entirely with him, and'that ho alone will'be responsible for the results of the choice made. It is the' hope of everyone, and the belief of those who know him, that the new Oohimandant will' not f permit the slightest_ suspicion to arise of any outside influences being brought to bear, political or otherwiso, in the matter of tiituro appointments in tho defence forces of tho country. We are sure that everyone will heartily welcome General Godley to New Zealand and thab ho will have the earnest good wishes of the whole country to encourage him,in what Ull must recognise as a- great task, and also a great opportunity.