OUR CITIZEN ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1104, 18 April 1911, Page 4

OUR CITIZEN ARMY.

GENERAL QODLEY'S TOUR, FAVOURABLY IMPRESSED. "TILE PIONEER OF THE BRITISEf EMPIRE." (By Telecraph—Soocial Correspondent.) Christchurch, April 17. Major-General Godlev arrived in Christchurch on Saturday evening, having come through the Nelson, Marlborough, and Wtstland districts. Ho was impressed with the spirit which exists in lhat part of the Dominion. He found many persons willing and even anxious to help him, leading citizens coming forward and oifering assistance. During his visit to Rsolton, for instance, tho sum of ■£400 was subscribed in one night towards [lie cost ot erecting a drill hall in the t«,Vi' a !)ff tlle " 10n °y ,vas Pf'd into tho oanK-. Iho managers of coal'mines and ami T specially sympathetic nI?, ,1 l n 1,0 EaMe feel iig was diamines tI in .® n cn "*l>loyed ill the arim- i» h , for the Territorial •irilU l li t ' ,c Dom i l 'i°i> is deIv innri i i Gc . l,cral as king distinct\Ve?t rwi n f ■ 15 S? nvlnccd - that tho in 1 0ffEr e° od possibilities in.legaru, to efficient and generally cxfcof Wi n r V hSS m emnki™ h,V k ">ds of hbour are recog- / VCry - ClTort J will lM ma de to iiLh- t i «®yonienM difficulties aro not like!} to be placed m the way of employees being registered in the ranks. Tho S auH > orUi « to niett both employers and employees in this respect will be mado quite clear in tho new"regulations which it is hoped will ba issued during the next two months. In the meantime, the General is greatly pleased with tho cheerful and ready respond that is being wade to tlw call for registration. in the course of his conversation with a "Lyttelton Times" interviewer, he said that tho peoplq hero hardly realised what the mw scheme would mean to tho young men of the country, and to the country itself. New Zealand was establishing its army. The . Territorials hero would occupy 'a position which they did not occupy in the Old Country, where there were a regular army and a special reserve in front of tho Territorials. The 6tatus of the new Territorial citizen officer of New Zealand would bo exactly the same as (he status of a regular officer. The permanent staff and'other officers who had come out from Home were really merely helpers of the citizen army. New Zealand was the pioneer of the British Empire in regard to oomplete compulsory training. It was not compulsory at all in the Old Country, and Australia had begun only with the cadets. The full scheme New Zealand had' adopted, therefore, had a special interest from both a military and a civil point of view, and it was a pleasure to him to be arsociated with such ii notable movement. The General spent nearly all day yesterday at the Officers' Training Camp at the Waimakariri. He said that he was well_ satisfied with the arrangements which are on the lines of those at tho Central Headquarters Camp at Tauherinikau, near AVellington, a short tinve ago. Later on ho saw both mounted and infantry drill. On his "West, Coast tour he saw the Blenheim and Picton Infantry Companies which belong to the 13th North Canterbury Battalion and one of the squadrons of the 10th Nelson Mounted Regiment. At Nelson he saw three companies of the 15th Nelson Infantry Battalion, and another squadron of tho Nelson Mounted Regiment, At Westport, Reefton, and Hokitika he saw more infantry companies, and at "Westport a company of garrison artillery. He also inspected the i harbour defences at Westport and the' Greymontli and Hokitika Harbours. Ho thinks that the plan of having the, guns at Westport on trucks, in order' that (hey might bo run out along the jetties, is an excellent one. He will leave for Wellington to-morrow evening, . ■ -