MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1150, 10 June 1911, Page 9

MILITARY NOTES.

(Edited By Kcnn.ox.] AUSTRALIAN NEWS ITEMS. Arrangements (it is reported) aro now announced for the training of warrant ami non-commissioned ofiicers for the Commonwealth senior cadets. A special school of instruction will be established for tho instructional staff, but persons with tho necessary qualifications, or who have served in tho British Army, need not go through tho proscribed courwi. Tile appointee* will bo provisionally appointed with tho rank of sergeant, and while attending schools will bp paid tho minimum rates prescribed for staff ser-geant-majors of the instructional staff. Candidates for appointment must be within the ages of and JO; havo served for at least three years in tho active forces (except in special circumstances); bo recommended by commanding olfieers; be certified us medically lit, and havo passed tho appointed examination. A remarkable shooting accident occurred on the North Williainstown (Melbourne) range a few days ago (reports the "Age"). Tho unfortunate victim of the accident was a marker named Miles, of Williamstown, who was hit oil the lisad by a bullet after it had struck tho mantel and been deflected downwards, instead of upwards. Miles now lies in tho Williamstown Hospital in a serious condition. Colonel Stanley, State Commandant, ordered tho closing of the range immediately he was informed of tho accident, and lio is awaiting reports. Tho only way to account for Iho acculcnt ifi that the bullet went off at right angles from the mantel, and, after striking another sheet, pursued a downward course through a partition. A. similar accident lias been reported recently in New South Wales, where a marker was killed by a dcllected bullet. A short discussion look place at tho recent, conference of the Australian Dental Association on tho subject of tho medical examination of the Commonwealth cadets. An intimation had boon received that the Federal Government had decided not to appoint dental 'T..rgeons to tho army. Medical men ivere to make the inspections. It seemed peculiar, said ono of the speakers, that, 111 view of the constitution of the present Government (which opposed allowing, a lumper to do carter's work, or a carter to do lumper's work) it should ask a medical man to examine a recruit's lungs, liver, and other organs, if lie had any, together with his teeth, for Gd. a head. (Applause and lauehter.) lie moved that the inspection of the teeth of recruits under tile compulsory training system should be carried out by dental surgeons. Another speaker faid that in his State, £."> per cent, of tho troops invalided homo from South Africa had defective teolh, showing that the medical inspection has been a disgrace. Dr. Philpot Mid that 111 future medical men would not be legally competent to practise dentistry in Victoria. The reason that dentists were not engaged by tho Defence Department was because a certain miliary officer was making fat fees out of tho work.

Striking testimony to tho slnrdincss and Rood health of Australian boys is borno by the medical inspection ol the Commonwealth cadets (states an Australian contemporary). Out of nearly 100,000 medically examined by fi.2 per cent, were declared unfit for sorvico. As an interestinjr comparison, it may bo staled 1 hat, under tho Swiss system, nearly 50 per cent, of tho .voting Swilzers are declared unfit for military duty, but doubtless in view of the exhausting nature of the military work in the mountains the medical examination is more sp.vero than ours. Tho medical exemptions have been G tier cent, in New South Wales, 5.6 in Victoria, 7.2 in Queensland, 5.8 in South Australia, 10.1 in Western Australia, and 1.8 in Tasmania. Delays in medical inspection have been caused bv tho.difficulty in getting medical men for so'me training areas. At first tho Department offered, to nay Is per head for senior cadets examined, i'his was objected to by medical officers, and at their request a consolidated rale of p ?''. 'raining area was substituted. JJilliculties have been put in tho way by tho British Medical Association. Considerations of patriotism have gone down ->.I°™ considerations of private pnm\ ■tho Department has been coinnelled to engage medical men to travel long distances to some areas at a daily fee and travelling expenses, as local doctors would not examine the bovs.

Somo irresponsible person—or a culpably careless one-has been supplying the Sydney Morning Herald" with a note 011 tho New Zealand defence system, the article appears in the issue of Juno under date Wellington, May 2G, and is headed : "New Zealand Defenco"; "Compulsory Training": "Creating a Force of : *0,000," 1 The text of tho article is as fol-. Jows :—

„ f hero is great activity in the NewZealand Defence Department. Tho system is that all youths from 14 to 21 years of ago must undergo military training in senior cadet corps up to 18, and after that annual training in camp. If the number available, inclusive of tho former volunteers who are now being drafted into Territorials, should at any time, fall short of the force considered adequate by Lord Kitchener (20,000), persons under the ago of 25 may be drawn upon' to make up the deficiency. The period for compulsory enrolment of youths closcs 011 Juno 2,' after which a penalty up to i! 5 may bo I enforced, but there are only a few thou-! sand liable at present who liavo not regis-, tored. Tho response has been very satisfactory, every day adding considerably to tho total, which now amounts to nearly CO,OOO, including companies in existence prior to the now order of things. It seems, therefore, that the time wnen tho compulsion will have to be extended to 25 years is far distant "

If tho writer of the above articlo is a pressman, then 110 ought to bo ashamed of himself for having committed tlio

"Sydney Morning Herald" to the publication of statements which aro quite inaccurate. It is very much to he regretted that such erroneous ideas concerning onr defeuces should have been put into circulation in Australia, and it is amazing to think that such inaccuracies should have been possible when so much official information on these very points has received publicity in the New Zealand press. With regard to tho inaccuracies (indicated in black type):— (1) Tho establishment of tho New Zea--land Voices lias been iixed at 30,|900, not 20,000.

(2) Tho New Zealand military system is universal only in so far ns it concerns 1110 ago limit from Mto 18. Thereafter, tlie burden of defence falls on tho 110,000 who aro to form the Territorial Force.

(3) Lord Kitchener did not state what number 110 considered necessary for tho defenco of New Zealand. He referred tho Government to tho Imperial Defenco Committee's views on questions bearing upon that point. Tho Now Zealand General Statf, assumed, as a working hypothesis, that: one-fourth of tho number recommended for Australia, 80,00,1, should bo taken as the peae'e establishment. Tho imperial Defenco Committee placed tho number at 30,000—tho war establishment, and since the arrival of tho Imperial General Staff oHirers in New Zealand, tho establishment has been altered to 30,000. (t) This is a ridiculous prophecy. Under tho Defence Act the age limit for compulsory training will bo extended automatically from 21 to 25. The original provision was from IS to 25, but a concession was introduced by 'Hie Government providing that thoso over 21 when tho Act camo into forco would not bo callcd'upon.