TERRORS OF THE TERRITORIAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1419, 20 April 1912, Page 14

TERRORS OF THE TERRITORIAL.

Sir,—As your paper seems to bo tho only ono to give unbiased arguments on both sides of tho above-mentioned, I, as u Territorial, trust that you will, through your paper, give your opinion on tho following:— On April 16, about thirty men wero brought before the officer in charge of their company for being absent from tho previous parade without leave, and each in turn were kclured at length and told that unless they furnished (in the future) sufficient proof as to why they should bo absent from any parade, they would bo severely dealt with. Now, sir, although a Territorial, I am not a minor, and, owing to a great amount of private business, I find it inconvenient to attend parade every week, but put in appearand fortnightly, which I tako it is quite in accordance with the Act (viz., 26 night parades). The question is: "Are those in charge exceeding their duty in ordering that wo are to attend 52 parades when tho Act clearly states 20?" Another ques-'' tion is: "Is a married man compelled to go into camp for one week every year, seeing that his weekly wage is all ho* and his wifo have to depend on?" It is positively certain tho four-shilling-a-day allowance (which is mostly spent on extra food ut camp) will not keep his house going. Thero ore numerous other questions worrying Territorials, who are, I am sorry to soy, kept very much in the dark as to the real extent of their liability. Perhaps a spare cony of the Compulsory Training Act posted up in tho Drill-hall would alleviate matters.—l am, etc., A TERRITORIAL. [Regarding the above letter, Colonel Heard (Director of Military Training) informed a Dominion, representative that the writer, if he had taken the trouble .to look at the Defence Act which he quotes, would have found that a Territorial is only required to . attend- SO night parades in the year, and that he is not supposed to attend 52. But as it is recognised by those in charge that all cannot attend on the samo nights, a choice of nights is allowed. Any Territorial can bo absent from any parade so long as he puts in tho minimum number of 30 during tho year. Unless notice is given to the contrary, it is presumed by the company officer, commanding that a Territorial is going to be present, and then if ho does not arrive he is marked absent. At the end of the year those who have not attended 30 parades besides special daylight parades and seven days in camp will bo prosecuted. Tho officers, knowing that some of their men have already missed a number of parades, are only helping them when they insist upon them attending- certain nights. As tlio sth Regiment novo not paraded since their .camp, tho writer appears to be in the Garrison Artillery, undor tho command of Colonel Campbell, who wai of the same opinion as Colonel Heard on the matter. All that is required is compliance with tho Act, and it might be as well for Territorials to remember that, as there are only a few extra -.parades, it would bo to their advantage 'to bo-clear in their reckoning as to tho number they have already attended, and tho number to bo held before the end of ; tho defence year. Regarding tho position •of married men under tho compulsory encampment regulation, we advise that if the writer is stating his own case, to write to the authorities and explain his position to them. There is no regulation exempting married men, but tho Defence Department has power to meet exceptional cases. On tlio question of extra food in camp, tho recent camp of tho sth Regiment at Trenthnm may bo taken as a fair example, and it might be worth tho writer's trouble to inquire as to tho -quality of it from any who were there.]