TERRITORIAL OFFICERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 269, 9 August 1919, Page 7

TERRITORIAL OFFICERS

COMMISSIONS, PROMOTIONS, ETC. A 'meeting il the members of the Wellington Officers' lustituto was bald last evening in tho Lecture Room at the Garrieou -Hall to discus subjects of vital importance to officer's. Colonel G. 1 1 . C. Campbell presided. • The discussion, which was quite mt<vrnuol. covered the following questions:™ Tho usefulness of Territorial officers, and how such usefulness mo,v bo a.flected by, any change in the system of military training. ■ ~.,,' i>' The advantages and disadvantages ot the. present system regarding appointments to commissioned rank, promotions, etc.. and suggested remedies. _ How to attain and maintain efficiency under the present system of ta'aiuing, arid, under a suppositious change in the present system. Colonel Campbell, who opened the discussion, remarked that if they. allowed their. military syf.tom to be discredited, by. -tlie propaganda of the pacifists, it Tvoiild.be a bad thing. There were some amiable people who 'believed there would be no further wars. The pacifist pro-, pa';?an<la might be divided under, two heads: (1). That the environment, of camp life-was injurious to the-young fellows, and (2) owing to the 'league of Nations there was no necessity for military training. These arguments had not been re-' fitted,-and it was time something was done in that respect. Those who had been associated with camps recognised that there was no such, risk now--tliero was no more risk to tlie younif men in camps than there was in the streets of AVellingtoH. Under tho volunteer system tho camps',. .with their oajiteens, wmr often iwdy', but in recent, years, imdcr the Territorial system, there was no such risk. ' , The League of Nations, Colonel Campbell remarked, could not enforce order among the nations unless it was backed bv force, including physical, moral, and material, and he put material foremost. Nations wero like individuals, and tho most civilised were liable to quarrel under a sense of injustice, real or imaginary,'unless there was a restraining influence. Were they to sacirifico their military system in New Zealand which had donc'so much, not merely in military training, but also for the physical and moral training of the youth of tho country? He thought not. ' ■Referring to the Territorial system, Colonel Campbell said he believed in long camp training. Ho did not think tho present seven-day camp was sufficient, although he bo'.ievcd more work could be got out of the young fellows in llie«) short ciuupf than had been obtained. The question was. whether they should continue their present system of training throughout the year, or modify that and concentrate the training for a period of the year. That was 10.-s. or no drills during the week or the month, and a longer period in camp. He did not think that anvbody could complain that tho young fellows were hard-worked in camps. Such a contention was an insult lo tho younfi men of the country, who did moro hard work .in training for football matches and athletics. ~.,',„ Colonel Campbell, said that tho equipment at present was bad. and ho thought also there was considerable loss in equipment through carelessness and otherwise, and tliis was to bo deplored, for it meant obtaining monev from tho tax.pii.yorß. who i aturallv 'i-f-.Wt. I bat. He could not any that he was in favour of ollicers' training corps but' he was in favour of officers' training classes mi a. decentralised flv<lcm. OHii-ors require lo he taught, how to handle men, and particularly f» care for material. They must try to perfect the present Territorial system. He would say, "Increase the camp period, but do not reduce the continuous training throughout tho year." Several other members spoke, and their views generally accorded with those of Colonel Campbell.