MILITARY TRAINING.

Evening Star, Issue 14931, 18 July 1912, Page 7

MILITARY TRAINING.

DETAILS AS TO COST AND NUMBERS. The Minister of Defence (the ITon. J. Allen) has had compiled certain information in regard to (ho defence scheme in answer to a request made by the AntiMilitarist League. In forwarding the information the Minister stated that a return giving every item of expenditure paid out of tho deience appropriations is lxdng prepared, and will he laid on tho tabic of thHouse for the information of members. The facts compiled show, that the estimated cost of the ■scheme for the first threa years, according to tho statement of the Minister of Defence in April, 1910. wis £i,200.C00. 'J ho Estimates for the. three years provided for the expenditure of £1,152,C00. of which £90,00 C 'has not been .•pent. Tho number of officers of the Im perlal General Staff aind New Zealand Staff Corps is 73. ;.nd their salaries total £28.340: The amount voted for travelling expenses for 1911-12 was £3.000, of which £7 ; 617 was expended There are 12 mem bers of the Royal New Zealand Artillery serving with the forces and their saJarhs total £3.975. making a grand total of £32,315. As to the personnel of th.forces, the information acquired shows that from tho la*t census returns available 27.050 persons between tho ages of 18 and 21 years ,xid 35,698 between 14 and 19 years, making a totnl of 62.778, wero available for military iraiyir.g ; and the iiiimbir liable coming of acre this year would be approximately 8.000, making the number liable 70,778." The total number registered up to duly 8 was 65 191. The shortage of 5.557, it is explained, includes boy- attend ing primary schools, \\\,o are still classed as Junior Cadets for training purposes. It will therefore be seen, says the report, that the number unaccounted for must he very small. Smior Cadetu are not required to undergo training in camp. The total number of Territorials who attended camp during tho last training vear was 17.831. out of a total of 21.614 posted for 1911-12 to the Territorial Force. Tho percentage of attendance was therefore 82.49.