The Dominion. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1914. GENERAL HAMILTON'S REPORT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2183, 23 June 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1914. GENERAL HAMILTON'S REPORT

——~-»,^,>^ General Sir lan Hamilton's report on the military .forces of New Zealand is a valuable ftiid Gompre* hensive one. It ckwfejliis a good-deal of frank and friendly criticism, besides ■ many helpful suggestions. Be is not content' with pointing out the we-ak points which life recent itepcetion revealed. So also gives us'the • benefit .of his wide experience, and indicates how the ef&eieney of the- . Army may be increased, so that it may be able more effectively, to de its work •. for which it has been called into ex-, istence. He docs nob advocate any costly and ambitious additions to tte existing scheme.' Fortunately, he fully recognises that Row Zealand is still a young cotthtry,. and that too much must 'not be expected of it at ■ the present stage of its development. He expressly states tijat fcer is in'ftii! sympathy with the economists, sn-ti that he does not s.vi&lj his report to be used as a handle for ineurnug' serious fresh expenditure. An ance of this- character can net faai to have a good for aiiinj- pqopn: who do not object to the pritieiple of compulsory military service are still a little nervous as to its cost. They have the impression that it is going to mount up year by year Mtil it may become too iteavy to be barne. The anti-militarists arc, of course, doing their utmost to foster . this idea, but while SiS.-I.AU.flAsiit.Tos'* report is not likely to pacify trhe irrocohcilables, it will certainly assist to allay the misgivings of reasonable men and women who may have fcifc that sufficient attention was not being paid to the financial aspect of our new defend© system. He has "nothing startling or miraculous" to propose, his main object being to show how the esisting machine can be made more perfect. It is not extension that he d&ske-s, hut; greater efficiency; he wants to "set the seal of thoroughness" on the work -of our citizen soldiers. • A well organised, fully equipped, and properly disciplined forco ia what New Zealand requires, and one of the principal aiftis of the Defence authorities should be to see that the money voted b.v Parliament for military purposes is pttt to the best possible use, so that economy and' efficiency may go hand in hand, Tho main' thing at pvoeetit is to inulfl fisrm foundations, leaving the scheme to develop gradually in accordance with the natural growth of the country. The Inspei'tor-Genoral. is of opinion that'our Territorial force will become more self-contained and selfreliant as the process of tniinint: goes mi,, and thai, Uμ "roginienUl officers will soon be capable of running l.hrir own show with irruch lons Hclventitious aid from regular adjutants and Mvg«sn*.s-M.;-f,jur than they have hitherto enjoyed," ttwugb

, these regular assistants will still lie '. required for wrtain phases of miii- , iary duty. Taking our defence force as a whole, Sin lan Hamilton is very ■ favoiirably impressed by what he has ' seen, Hx , says it is well armed and well equipped, and the liumnn nia- . tcrial-is .second to none in the world. ■ i Its organisation in the main is soundly conceived and sensibly acted. npan, and considering the short timn ■ I the system has been in operation goost '• progress has b«on made. He has a • good deal to s.aj- about the need of discipline and its relation to }>afci-iofcisn:t. The New Zealand soldier, evidently wishes to do well aftd to take things cheerfully,-but, as Sir . lan Hamilton points out, the real test of a soldier is the willing performance of. hard and _ disagreeable work which he: may consider unnecessary or misfcakon. it is here that true discipline makes its presence felt. , Til* whole report deserves careful consideration. It will be roa-d with general satisfaction; it- will tend to allay any uneasiness that (nay exist ii in the minds of men vc- * g.«ding certain asptwfe of the defence scheme; and it- will confirm -the great body of tic people of New ■• Zealand in tlieir deterrninafion fa) - create and nw-intain an army of dfcizim soldiers, thoroughly equipped for ' their work and officered by men who realise their gimfr responsibility as "trusted agents of the • Sovereign Stater'