TERRITORIAL ARMY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 290, 3 September 1919, Page 2

TERRITORIAL ARMY

PEOPOSED-REDUCTION OF YEARS •OF SERVICE. A proposal for the. reduction of the years .for the training of Territorials is inado by the Commandant (Sir Alfred Robin) in hie annual report presented to th'd' House, of ]?6p'rcsentatives yestorday.' At present young nien'are liable to serve in-'the- Territorial- Arniy- from thu day thai; they reach -the age of 18 years until their-attain tho ago of 25 years—Seven yeural General Robiu suggests that the training can" bo concentrated into three years—lß, 19, and 20—making; a- youth liable from, his eighteenth birthday until ihis twenty-first.' General Robin states ; — "The Territorial and. Cadet Forces have been carried oii; Every endeavour was made "to meet tho various industries and shortage of labour. When the necessity for more reinforcements ceased the Territorial camps and concentrations for the year were cancelled to still further moot commercial and paetornl industries. The ~» experience gained amply proves that a more concentrated period of training at t : he ages of eighteen to twenty inclusive,' instead, of. extending over the ages 18 to 25, as at present, is very desirable. A condensing of the seven years' present training obligations into three years would, I feel sure, prove- much more economical and convenient to industries and pastoral affairs. "In further reference to reducing the years of liability, on account of tho uncertainty as to date of return of camp equipment, accoutrements, arms, guns, ' and stores, etc:, which were sent abroad with tho Expeditionary Force, ano\ the natural necessity for post-war reorganisation, the = training of the Territorial Forces for the year ending . May, 1920, ■ must be continued on present regulations and somewha.t similar to this year. This will enable a policy for eeu and air defence to bo discussed and formulated. The suggested reconstruction of training our land.forces above outlined should be considered at the same timo, absolute co-ordination of tho thrco services being ■ an essential factor in regard to economical administration and finding of perEbnnelj" '■ . ' .