DEFENCE POLICY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 62, 7 December 1920, Page 8

DEFENCE POLICY

OPERATION OF THE NEW SCHEME FULL TRAINING BEGINS NEXT YEAR Defence policy lias been the subjcct of some conflicting statements lately. Tho acttoal position is that tho scheme of framing and organisation referred 1 by the Minister of Defence to the Defence Committee of tho House of Representatives Inst session, and placed by tho committee before Parliament is the accepted policy of tho Government. The committee tlid not mako recommendations; it merely endorsed the scheme that had been drafted by Defence Headquarters and approved by the Muvistfcr. The scheme' will not come into full operation for some time. The Minister of Defence stated in the House of Representatives that thero would be no training camps ('this year except for officers and non-commissioned officers. Tho first camps for recruit training under the new scheme may be held in the summer or next year, but dates hnvo not yet been arranged. The training of officers' and non-commissioned officera is to proceed. The details of organisation are receiving atlention. The postponement of the recruit camps is hot considered to bo detrimental to national defence at tho present time. The Government wishes to interfere as little as possible with employment during the period of reconstruction, and it feels that the demobilised members of the Expeditionary Force constitute an easily accessible reserve of fully-trained men, who would be available at!'short notice in case of emergency. It is very important, moreover, thnVtho requisite number of fully-trained officers and non-commissioned officers should bo available* when the regular recruit training begins. This training is to bo carried out in district! concentration camps, the period ranging from two 'weeks to six weeks, according to the capacity of the recruit and the degree of training secured in the cade'l% The recruits will enter camp when between eighteen mid nineteen' years of age, and tho youths who are drafted into the territorial Force will have eleven days in camp each year for the next four years, oxceph in cases "where certain drills and. half-day parades can conveniently be substituted tor a part of the camp training. The Minister of Defence (Sir Heaton Rhodes) stated yesterday that he did 1 not tflrijik any legislation would bp required in order to bring the new scheme into operation. All New Zealand youths were liable to servo in the Army under the present law, and the terms and conditions of tho training could bo defined by regulation,