AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1011, 29 December 1910, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE.

A .HUNDRED THOUSAND "CADETS. • By Telegraph-Press Associaticm-Copyrteht. .' Melbourne, December. 28, The Commonwealth pefenco , Department estimates that ono hundred thousand senior cadets will commence training under the new scheme on July 1 next.

A CITIZEN-ARMY.

Compulsory military trainiug will come into forco m tho Commonwealth of. Australia on New Year's Day. For three months past the headquarters staff has been engaged at high pressure in preparing for the: innovation, .and though details left till tho last moment' (savs the ".Sydney -Morning .. Herald") ' have ■been pushed ahead hurriedly, they have rn, u ' nrra "Sed with precision. - The area officers, who have been entrusted with the initial task of registration, consequently■ been enabled to set about their work without loss of time, and .already tho'-majority of them have got in touch with local postmasters, municipal authorities, and: leading residents rn their respective districts, who might bo likely to lend them assistance in the. performance of their duties. The introduction of tho system 'of uni-' V i°« •(. r ? mln 2 """ill proceed by ' four definite steps, and eventually :attain tho new organisation proposed bv the C&ni. niomvealth Government.. Tho' first will occupy the first six months of tho coming during which period iuo existing junior and senior cade't forces . will , continue. By June 30, however all equipment will bo called in. , In the meantime the area officers will busy themselves with the work of re"is,tration, inspection, and medical examination of lads, whose 14th, lote, -Gth, an ( l lith. birthdays occur in the year 1011 During tho. period allotted to the second stage, viz., from July, 1011, to June, 1012, the training and equipment of. the new senior cadet force, estimated, roughly, at 1.00,000, will bo conducted, while durin" the third stage, which ' takes in the period from July, 1012, to June, 1013, the clothing, equipment, and training of cadets eligible for inclusion in tho citizen forces, estimated at 20,000 will occupy attention. The fourth sta"e, taking in the period after July 13, wjli be devoted to the continuation of recruit training of tho citizen forces, and the new organisation of tho citizen forces, including the old and new personnel will commence on July. ], 1913.