TEACHING THE TERRITORIALS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1050, 13 February 1911, Page 4

TEACHING THE TERRITORIALS.

.COLONEL HUGHES'S IDEA. (By Tclceraph.— SDecial CorresDonflent.l , . Wanganui, Februarj- 11. ; The local territorials" broke camp this morning, after having put in a solid week's training. Last, night a novel instructional idea was put into execution, which had considerable value in impressing on the men the force of the disciplinary portion of-the new defence echeme This took tho form of a "faked" courtmartial, though none but tho officer commanding, and one or two others, knew that the affair ; was a bogus one. All that was known was that a private had been arrested, and was to be hied for alle"ed insubordination. A duly, constituted court was appointed with legal advocates, and the whole battalion were interested spectators of the proceedings. The case being proved, "accused".was sentenced to five;days' im'prisonment.. ■ ■ . .- ' Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes then addressed the men,, saying he had .'power to make such a reduction of the sentence as ho thought, fit. After commenting very favourably on the way all hands beihaved while in camp, he went on to say . that he had realised during tho week that the men were not conversant with ( tho new military law, and did not know ■the.pains and penalties attaching to breaches of it. He'then had an idea. Discovering that "there was a good actor in tho camp," he had arranged with that actor and one or two, officers that tho present proceedings' should bo carried out in order to impress on tho men tho position they now occupied in military law as citizen soldiers. That being tence," of course, would not take effect. •- ■ So well was the trial carried out.that not a single officer or man .was conversant with the fact that it was not a reality, and tho blank faces of.all present when the actual fact dawned on. them presented au amusing study. Consternation, however, soon gave way ,to amusement, and ringing cheers were given for "accused," for the wny ho had acted his part. The , lesson evidently made a great impression on the men, iuul as an instructional idea could hardly have been improved upon. .