MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1180, 15 July 1911, Page 12

MILITARY NOTES.

AUSTRALIA'S NEW ARMY,

ITS FIRST TRAINING I'AIUDB.

(Edited By Hcnst-os.]

.Saturday, July 1, was the occasion of the first training parade ot tho now Oitizen Army of the Australian Common, wra th, and public enthusiasm was very ' 9 iliJlerenco between- the All i uaiian and New Zealand dclencc •■vsteiiifl is that, although.each is designed Accord, i- i 1 pi maples laid <imvn by Lord Kitchener, New Zealand has decided to mmmoncc right oil' with a completely organised army, 1,1 addition to its junior and senior cadets, while Australia has prciorred to organise its junior cadi*« hrst, and recruit its adult Territorial Aim> giadually from the annual quota ot senior cadets who-reach the nee nf 18 years of age. This, of course, imposes upon tho loderal Government the necessity of maintaining its Ipresent militia force for a much longer term that New Zealand which has already dispensed ,L , volullln ei' force. On July 1, 91,000 boys wero taken hold of by the Australian system, and another 11,000 are expected to bo brought in during tho month, making Dig first complete registration of cadets 105,000. In ioven yearsa citizen army of 120,000 men will have been created, costing with tho miniature permanent services, JET.SSI.OOO a year. Tl>® Australian system (remarks the "Age") i'l? n° a >noro encouraging , lan G'ven by the medical epoits on tho young cadets. Examina- «,?„•? n av ° ' )0011 moderately severe, Poor ejes ght, a weak chest, poor bodily doolopn en , oven bad teeth, has been a bai, shutting la ls away from the cadets. Constitutional defects, such as heart trouble, aro found freely in medical exanimations 111 Switzerland, Trance, and Germany, where tho percentage of rejects from military training is high. x n A us . traha only 0.2 per cent, of the. lads wore declared medically unfit, a percentage nro. claiming at once Hie virility of tho people. In V icforia the percentage was as low 03 t' - ,fA°, fir 4 year's training will prodiicc JO,OOO lads of eighteen years for tho adult citizen forces. They will pass in 011 •July 1, 1912, after another medical examination. Under the new svstem an I' Australian youth will be med'ically examined at the ages of 12, 14, and 18, arid m each case an ontry will be made in Ins personal record book. This book will contain yearly official entries as to tho character and military efficiency, and 0110 entry of inefficiency will entail an extra year s traimns. Mothers of marriageable daughters will doubtless in fnturo years demand production of the record 'book of would-be sons-in-law.

Australian senior cadets will 'not go to camp, l'liey will bo drilled in their laealities. Instructions lmvo been issued IhaC 111 compiling tlio programmes the area officers must tako special care to as littlo inconvenicnco to the cadets or the general public as possible. Xo .battalion of joint parades will be held during the first quarter, as the' full time will be required for squad drill and ritlo exercises to ensure a solid foundation for tuti-c work, hi addition to the statutory parades—l whole days (6 hours each), 12 half days (3 hours) and 21 night drills —voluntary parades aro being arranged. Absence from statutory parade without leavo necessitates attendance at two similar parados, and absence with leavo attendance at one similar parade. Apart from the question of attendance at parades, it is laid down that every boy must' becomo efficient : in musketry and drill. Where boys are required to work 011 tho Saturday half-holiday statutory parades Will be urrauged for thorn on weekly half-holi-days. This meets casos in various trades, such as hair dressing, where objections havo been raised. _ Tho policy is that tho public convenience must be .considered. but tho lx>ys must be trained. An employer who "sacks" a cadet or reduces his pay becauso of (raining is liable to a penalty of ,£IOO. Junior cadets as Australians have known them so long ccaso to exist from July 1. They will now bo (110 lads of from 12 to H years, to be traiuM by school teachers or Government instruct*br&." "A'ir'l:bJ''s v 'l2'"()t-' "IS'' years did' will be medically inspected and registered at tho schools. Tho medical . officers will certify merely that the boj;s. aro fit to undergo': physical'-training. ' In; addition to being trained for liftoen minutes daily 011 every day on which the school is opened, elementary marching drill will bo given as a compulsory subject, and two of llio four subjects—(l) Miniature rillo shooting; (2) swimming; (3) organised games; and (1) first aid, must bo taught. Tho teachers 'will not be paid for this work, which in most schools is proceeding in somo' form as part of tho school routine, but head teachcrs will receive.ls. a year for each junior cadct, to spend as they think best 011 material and provisions tor tho training. It may bo spent, for instance, in sending teachers to one of| tho Government schools of instruction, soon to bo established, for a eoursS.iu physical instruction. This would cost 10s. a day. Arrangements havo been made whereby tho reports of State school Government inspectors on tho training will bo accepted,'so as to havo as littlo intcrfercnco by military authorities as possible.. In some States many boys havo left school at tho ago of 13, nud theso will bo registered and trained by tho area officers. Tho "organised games' aro those in which all boys partake, mentioned in the London School Hoard's syllabus. Material purchased witli the military grant may bo. used for other purposes. Teachers may ho appointed as honorary officers of tiio citizen forces in proportion to the number of cadets they train. Tho special schools of instruction for teachcrs to be established will bo conducted by tiio instructors of physical training to bo appointed in a week by tho Acting-Minister for Defcncc. Provision has been made during the next financial year for thirteen instructors for Australia, but it is hoped to increase this number largely. They will visit schools and give model lessons. The syllabus of physical training is merely a unification of existing school methods. Francotto rifles will bo issued ' where miniature ranges are near the schools, but ammunition must bo bought .with 'the effectivo allowance. Head mistresses will give tho training where 110 malo teacher is attached to the staff, so that nearly every school in the Commonwealth will bo drrvii into the system. As 100,000 junior cadets nrn expected this year, (lie cost will ba .£20,000.