DEFENCE POLICY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 41, 12 November 1920, Page 9

DEFENCE POLICY

DETAILS OF THE NEW ~,.; SCHEME. „ RECRUIT TRAILING IN CAMPS REORGANISATION OF DISTRICTS An important report embodying the new defence' policy and scheme of military training was placed boforo the House of' Representatives yesterday by the chairinan of the Defence Committeo (Mr. W. S. Glenn). The committee had before It a eoheme of organisation and training ■proposed by the General Officer Commanding (Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor), who was. present during the consideration of the, scheme. The report was as follows:— . The cosit of the Bcheme when fully established will be close on jC6oo,ooo,per annum, and, while the present high cost of all commodities continues it cannot bo muoh reduced without loss of efficiency ; but this estimate provides for harbour defence, which is a naval as well ns a military requirement, and for the physical training of those unfl'l for eer-' vice in the Territorial Force, which' is a "national efficiency" and not a "defence" requirement. It does not, however, provide for the cost of aviation. For the next two years it is estimated thaN the coat will bo under J500,000. In addition with nnlversal training, the cost of the "cadet" nnd the 18/19 year '.'general" or "recruit" training must increaso' with Ahe population. -Tho system of organisation and training, as finally agreed upon with the concurrence and approval of the G.0.C., is as follows:— Liability for Traininfl, Senior Cadets.—From fourteen years of ago (or date- of leaving- primary school. if :later) to eighteen yeurs of age as at present. " \-..'" .'•■''■ : . . '_'■•■ General or Recruit Training.—From eighteen'to nineteen years of age- ■ Territorial Force (in the case of those posted).—From 19 to 22 years of age., • Reserve—Those between 19 and 30 years of age who are not serving in the Territorial Force. The whole training of those not required for the' Territorial Force to be completed in their eighteenthnineteenth year.' : • Any' Cadet may, on the'grounds that the training' will interfera with bis studies, claim and be given permission to postpone his recruit or general training- from year to year, but in-6uch-case Jus will be required to completo tho full period of general or Territorial training before: being posted to' the Reserve. Any Cadot may, if medically unfit to (benefit by the training, be put back from year to year, but in such case his liability, for training will not be extended bevohd his tweaity-sccond year. " No'exemption from training to be given except fd those certified by Medical Board ds'unfit to benefit by a.course of physical training, but any who object .on eohscitmtious grounds .to military, training to b.) allowed to do extra physical or general' trainins in lieu of any purely military-training; Training Senior Cadets., Twelve half-day parades, twenty evening drills, and prescribed course of mus- . Attendance to 'be compulsory for all Cadots who live- within three miles of a drill centre, but as a rule dril s will not hi held at centres where less than twenty-four Cadets attend. From fourteen to sixteen years of ago training to be individual—mainly. > physical'and squad drill. . From sixteen to eighteen years otags, full training up to'platoon standard to be given. ■ ',' . , . ~ - Musketry course to be mainly with tua : .22-inch rifle. ." . ■ • During the last quarter of a Cadet year/all those .who are due .to pass out ■will, bo classified.as under:-; • '; (a) Those who. are . well. developed ; -' and-who have reached a good stan- -■ dard of training. ; , ', , ■ (b) Those who are leas so, but who lave reached ■ a. fairly satisfactory ' -.Htandard. ; . -, . . '.• .' (c) Those who have done no train- ■ ing or'who have, not benefited by that which they have-dons; and■(d) Those who are ph.ysicnlly.nnM for service in the Territorial Forcer and provisional posting arrangements will be made. General or Recruit Training. This-wilf be carried out iii district concentration .camps by thoroughly qualified' Staff Corps or Permanent stall instructors. .'Cadets will be called up in batches, and can, therefore, in most cas3S, train at the date most convenient to themselves. ' Cadets classified as .(a) will do two weeks' training for the arm-of the ser.ricc.tb which posted.; Those classified as (b) and (c) will- train until they reach (a) standard, and. then do two weeks training for tho arm of the service to which posted—maximum period six weeks. Those classified (d), will do a .phjlrical training course of six weeks duration unless certified by a medical lliard as unfit' to benefif by such a courkn..' , Cadets will be classified each week, and no one who has made good progress will be kept baok on account of others .in his 6quad being backward. During this period the required number of recruits will be selected and posted to the Territorial Force. Thoso who are CI test arid who live nearest tho drill '.centres to bo selected, but every consideration to 'b.e .'given to the man's trado'ond personal' wishes when deciding to which branch of tho service to which he is to be posted. "•; It' is estimated that about 4000 will be required each year, and that this, number will be found from among those classed as ..(a) or' who pass into, that class within two weeks, so that the remainder will train for 'a period which will largely balance tho subsequent training of those posted to.tho Territorial Force. It will be much cheaper to complete their training in the one year than to call thein up for a short period in each' of. the three following years. Youths who follow a seafaring life 1 should be trained with the Naval Reserve'when established. Territorial Force. '.-. An annual training camp. Officers and n.c.o.'s for thirteen days, men for eleven 'lavs. •-.ln cities or'centres where efficiency oan be. secured,, eight half-day '. parades, tw'elvo drills) and the prescribed course of musketry to-be substituted for'the ■ first four day 3 in camp. Officers and N.C.O.V • The whole keynote of success lies in providing efficient officers and, n.c.o.'s. N.c.o.'s Course—During the recruit eourso about 7 per cent, of those to be posted to each Territorial unit, together with about half as many more selected from the unit itself may attend a n.CiO.'s course of two weeks' duration. Those who pass will be posted to the unit as corporals. Officers' Training Course—N.c.o.'s who 'have (lone ono animal training as a n.c.o. and can produce a Sixth htandard proficiency (or .equivalent) certificate of ■general education may be selected to attend an officers* training course of four weeks' duration, on passing which they will be commissioned ns 2nd lieutenants, but must engage to serve nntil twentj'iive years of age.' 2nd lieutenants after one year's efficient ■service to be promoted lieutenant. Lieutenants after one year's efficient service in that rank may.attend a pro- ■ motion course of two weeks' duration. Captains after ono year's efficient service in that rank may attend a promotion coUrso of two' weeks' duration. Majors after one year's efficient service in that rank may attend a promotion eourso of two weeks', duration. Sergeants must attend a two weeks' promotion course before" being promoted to W.O. Reserve office™ and n.c.o.'s must attend a refresher course, or an annual frainine of their unit, each third year. To stiffen the forco by tho inclusion of older men a proportion of tho rank and file should be encouraged, to oxtend their service bevond the age of twenty-two This system of training will reduce tho liability of youths, who have taken fnll Advantage of their cadet training, from

9 "<l9 'days'in camp, 8-i half-day parades, aud 210 evening drills spread over a , period of seven years, to either 47 days in camp or 35 days : in camp, 21 hnlf-day | parades and 3G w oiling drills concentrated into four years, but it will provide a much more efficient training, it will not provide a hignly trained force, but it will provide an efficient one winch can be quickly brought to a high state of training on mobilisation. . If at any time tho Government wish for a more thorough training and are prepared to ."pay the increased cost, the first increase should be to the training.of officer*, next to the period of recruit -training, and lastly to the period of Ifrltoriol training and to peace establishment, of the Territorial unit*. Pay. So long as service is universal the scale of pay is not so important, since the service may bo looked on as a dutypaid to the State by everyone, but whore only a portion are required to serve or to undertake an extra liability their pay should be on a fair scale. •■- It is therefore recommended that the pay of those undergoing "recruit or "goncrar'training be at the rale of 2s. per day, but that those posted to the Territorial force should bo paid on a sliding scale at a slightly higher than tho nresent one, which is 4s. per day lor privates, and giving a fair increase for each higher rank. Fay to be given for each day in camp or for each "(lay or hnlfrdav on which a man is called away from his employment These scales are low, but are necessitated bv the financial position. If any increase is given it should first be given to ■those who undertako an extra linbili» as officers or n.c.o.'s, or who extend their service. Organisation. ■ The present division into districts and groups was made quite irrespective ot the population of each, or of the strategic requirements, and the attempt made in 1914 to link Territorial .units with squadrons,or companies of the Expeditionary Force soon broke down, as it was found to be impracticable to keep reinforcements for any one squadron or company: The most efficient method was to pool the reinforcement for a brigade. Our organisation should be such as will provide for the rapid mobilisation and the subsequent maintenance of a force for 'defence either against raids or against an attoinnt'to invade New Zealand, .to meet the first contingency only a small torce' is required but to meet the Inst our maximum force should be quickly available so as to crush an attempt at invasion in the shortest passible time.. ■ It is therefore recommended that New Zealand 1m ' divided into throe instead of four'districts or commands, viz.:— Auckland- (or northern), Wellington (or central), and South Island (or southern). At present the population of theso is in the proportion of 10, 18, 22; but that in each of the North Island districts is increasing more rapidly than that in tne South Island, while each of tho North Island, districts' contains one ot the two most important ports, and each' is niore liable' to attack than the South island. - , , ' The Territorials in each district to bo organised as, follow: — Mounted Rifles-Two Regiments. . Artillery—Field Artillery Depot providing' 1 Section Mountain Battery (2 gun's)' and Section Ammunition Column. 1 Field Artillery Brigade.), Coast Defence Depot, providing Fixed Batteries, Heavy Batteries, Anti-Air Field Engineer Depot-Providing 1 Field Troop, 1 Field Company. Signal Engineer Depot—Providing 1 Signal Troop, 1 Signal Company. Infantry Providing 4 Battalions. Medical Depot—Providing 1 Cavalry Fk-ld Ambulance, 1 Field Ambulance, 1 Sanitary Section. Veterinary Depot—Providing 2 Mobile Veterinary Sections. A.S.C. Depot—Providing 1 Section T. and S. Coy. for M.K. Brigade, 1/3 Divisional Train ; AH uiiiit; to have 'the sauie'war establishment as similar units of the British Army, but the peace cadres to be a full establishment of officers, n.c.o.'s,' artificers, nnd specialists, but only 50 per "cent, of other' ranks. Nolo.—Mounted rifles'.and infantry will, be trained iii machine-guns, and artillery .iu.ifronch mortars. Rifle Clubs. ' ' , Rifle clubs, cannot bo ■ considered- as a 6econd lino to the Territorial Force on mobilisation. They do not possess,the organisation to fit in with any -fighting .force, whilo all their members of mili-' . tary age will bo Territorial Force Reservists and would be liable to ho cnllod to the Territorial Force'on mobilisation. The proper role of riilo clubs is the encouragement of rifle shooting', which should be encouraged as! much as the need for economy will allow.' The assistance, given should be mainly in (he form of cheap ammunition, but any assistance given should apply equally to members of rifle clubs and' to Territorials who 'wish for further, practice in addition to their, compulsory muskotlry course. : The.expenditure in'rifle clubs is steadily increasing, and is uot under control ot" tho Defence Department, as members of rifle clubs appeal direct to the' Minister, or to Parliament, for extra grants which, if given, must be at the expenso of otlher items of tho defence vote. It is therefore important that the-amount voted .for tho encouragement of riflo shooting should bo shown as a separate item on tho defence vote, and that the expenditure be kopil within the amount voted. '. The greatest benefit with least, expenditure is'undoubtedly obtained by cadet training .where it is regularly carried out 'by competent instructors, aisil_ tin's m'us-.l "suffer by a limitation of. training centre's, but "n- possible solution is, to obtain local instructors on a part-time basis,'nnd this will be tried, but its success will dopend on bur being ablo to induce Territorial Force officers and n.c.o.'s to qualify as instructors and to uii''erhke regular duty. The report was tabbed without discussion. ; ■'