DEFENCE TRAINING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 2

DEFENCE TRAINING.

DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE,

THE POSITION TO-DAY. The Christchurcii Anti-.Militarist league wroto to the late Uovernment on June 27 nsking for information in regard to details of the defence scheme. Tiie demand of the league was supported by letters from a number of industrial uiuo'.is. l'ne .Mackenzie (joveriiment wear out of office before it had an opportunity of complying with tiie request, but the present Minister for Deiencc (tho lion. James Ailen) hns had a return prepared winch gives tiie information required, and will be forwarded to the league and other bodies which asked tor it. Sir. Allen remarked yesterday that lie saw no reason wnv full publicity should not be given to "the detuils of information which had been applied for. Tiie league in its letter asked for:— A clearly and hilly detailed statement of the amount expended on the new compulsory training scheme up to date. The expenditure for tbe balance of the year and tho probable future expenditure. The number and salaries of Imperial and other officers and the amount expended by them in travelling expenses. The number of men liable for training, the actual .number, registered, tho number under training, the number passed through the camps, alto how many of these were volunteers. Information was also asked for in regard to contracts' for uniforms and equipment, and the league forward the following resolution:— • "That the Christchurch Anti-Militarist League strongly protests against tho outrageous suggestion to import somo 200 Imperial troops for purposes of display." As to this last matter, the proposal to invito a visit from a number of Imperial troops was abandoned somo time ago. Tho return prepared by tho Defence Department states that on September 22, / MOD, tho then Minister for Defence (Sir Joseph' Ward) stated ill Parliament that expenditure on tho defence scheme would amount, in 1910-11, to ,C3,)0,000; in 11)1.1-12, to AM III), 00!); and in 1912-13, to .£150,001); total, i 1,200,000. The Defence Estimates for 1910-11 provided for an expenditure of iKII.OOO, and the sum spent was U1205,000. a .saving in comparison with the Defence 'Minister's original estimate, 0f..£145,000, In 1911-12 the Estimates provided for an expenditure of .£15)1,000, and .£IOI,OOO were spent,' a stini of .£1001) in excess of Ilia Minister's original estimate. For 1012-13 the. Estimates provide for an expenditure of .E1.50,000, the same amount as was originally estimated by; tiie Defence Minister. Of tho sum of £1,152,000 provided for in the Estimates for the three, years, <£90,000 remains to be spent. Following are details of the salaries paid to tho 78 officers of the Imperial and General Staff and Now Zealand Staff Corps and twelve officers of tho New Zealand Permant Artillery, employed in New Zealand :—

Staff Officers. Major-Gcneral (6.0.C.) (house allowance .£200) 1,000 Three colonels, at each 2,250 Five lieutenant-colonels, at £575 cach 2,875 • One Director of Ordnance and Artillery 6SO One ariny service corps officer 600 Pour General.Staff.officers, at ,£550 each ..' •'• 2,200 Five majors, at .£475 each 2,375 Twenty captains, five at ,£-100, and fifteen at J. 350 7,250 Thirty-four lieutenants, at ,£250 each 8,500 Four second lieutenants, at J2ICO each 6to .£28,310 Boyal Kew Zealand Artillery.' Three majors, at Ji-ITo each 1,425 Five captains, at <£350 cach 1,750 Four' second lieutenants, at' each 800 ,£3,975 Salaries of all the officers enumerated ■total .£32,315. . , Tho amount voted. for travelling expenses during the year 1911-12 was ,£BOOO, of which ,£7617 was expended. From the latest census returns available, it appears that 27,080 youths between the ages. of. 18 and 21 years, and, '35,098 between 14 and 18 years of age, total 62,778, were liable for military training, and the number 'liable coming of ago this vcar would be approximately 8000. This will make the number liable 70,778. ..... The total number registered for training on July 8, 1912, was 65,191. The shortage of 5587 includes boys attending primary schools, who. although of tho required age, are classed, as junior cadets for train-, ing purposes. It will therefore be seen that, tbo number unaccounted for must be ivory, small. Senior Cadets are not required to undergo training iu camp, and the total number . of, Territorials.who attended cnmp.during the last training year was -17,831, out of t>9 total of 21,614 posted for tho year 1011-12 to the Territorial force. The percentage, of attendance was therefore 82.19 per cent. On the coming into force of tlie new defence scheme, 2802.0 id volunteers who wore not liable under the Act decided to continue their, service. The return also contains information already published, as to contracts for uniforms and similar matters. 1