THE CITIZEN ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1226, 7 September 1911, Page 4

THE CITIZEN ARMY.

APPOINTMENT 01? OFFICERS. In Parliament yesterday Mr. Fisher asked the Minister for Defence whether lie was aware that the method of appointing officers under the compulsory training scheme is entirely by nomination, and that it is alleged that those in the ranks Itavo little or no opportunity of ever attaining commissioned rank; and, if this is so, whether it meets with his approval. The Minister replied: The method of appointing officers under the universaltraining scheme is laid dawn in paragraphs 81-91 of the Defence Regulations. The allegation that those in the ranks have little or no opportunity of ever obtaining commissioned rank is quite unfounded. On the contrary, under the universal scheme, in which everybody has to serve, the appointments will of necessity all bo made from the ranks, as everybody, on attaining the ago of eighteen years, will bo compelled to join tho ranks of the Territorial Force. Replying to Mr. Russell, tho Minister for Defence stated that: "The training under (he defence scliemo will be universal. There will bo no exemptions for any special classes of the population. The only exemptions from training will bo those for physical unfitness. Tho physical standard l'oc the Territorial Force must bo made sufficiently high to insure the inclusion of only those who are perfectly (it, since the Territorial Force is for tho defencc of tho country; but the percentage of rejections for tho Senior Cadets will bo kept so low as to exclude only thoso who are quite unfit to undergo tho training required, or to be improved physically thereby. It is in the Senior Cadets that tho universality of the training of the youth of tho country will bo carried to its utmost possible limits.'' Tho Minister also stated that strict orders lmvo been given by tile Defence authorities to guard against nny young mail being called upon to present himself for medical examination at a local publichouse. Under tho Defence Act tho medical officer, when filling in tho medical report, is required to state whether each cadet or territorial examined has been successfully vaccinated. There is no authority to enforce vaccination. An unusual type of pationt lins boon .successfully treated at the Auckland Public Hospital, and lias shown exceeding i gratitude to the medical stalY and the , nurses ever since his recovery. Some weeks ago a wee stranger enteral the out- ! door patients' room evidently suffering • severely. Despite the fact that tho visi- ! tor was only a tiny dog, he was carried away to the surgeons, and examination I reve:ileil a broken leg. The injured limb was put inlo splints, and under kind and careful treatment tho dog has ouilc re- J covered. Its gratitude is such" that; it ! now rofu«t?s (o be discharged as cured, and is likely to take up a permanent : residence as one of the pets of the lios- - pital staff. ' Messrs. Gold anil A reus, assignees, in- ; vite lenders for the purchase of stock-in- i trade of drapery, furniture, and fillings 1 of \Y. I'rquhart, of liiddiford .Street, ° 1 In connection with tho Northland 1 drainage works, the Wellington City Couu- i oil notify flint liaroa Road will be closed ! for a few days from to-day. i