TRAINING OF OUR TROOPS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2587, 8 October 1915, Page 6

TRAINING OF OUR TROOPS

NO. REDUCTION IN STANDARD

, "I ;want t-o " remove any impression that any of our troops are; going to the front insufficiently ■ brained," said, the Minister of Defeneo (the Hon..J. Allen) in the House of Representatives yesterday. -With regard to all the troops which-had hitherto gone, Mr. Allen continued, exceptionally good reports 'had been, received, and New Zealand might' well be proud of the work done by the men to. acquit themselves, for, service at tlie front. ■. The oxcellonce of the. training .was , shown, by the fact that all the* reinforcements had; 1 been .sent straight to - the front. without further' training. The impression that men. were insufficiently' trained":'might have -arisen from the fact • that. the .Bth" and . 9th, Rein-' forcements were being sent away: six weeks earlier than they would ordinarI ily' go,. and would not therefore' get, the I,same . amount of. training in New - ZeaHowever,, when the Imperial- authorities requested such expediting of the reinforcements they stated that any further training that men needed would be given .them- in -Egypt o'r, elsewhero. Not only was there' a training ,groiind in l''gj'pt, but; there was' one:, also ,at -AnI zic::;_ As far as the; New' Zealand Aa : u- : i thorities" wtere concerned-'hd- could - assure the country that men would noi be sent'to'the front if. they .'were not fit to' go,'. In view - of; the :fact' that the ißtlian d 9th Reinforcements are being expedited, t-j l ® Hon. D. Buddo asked tlie Minister* if he. did not think it would stimulate recruiting to call up recruits as soon as they had been medically passed. ! 'Mr: Allen .said- that before the session ended lie would, make a statement on the whole position "with regard to recruiting. ■'V ' ■~' ■ -; •-