THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1907, 17 October 1906, Page 3

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

A COUNCIL TO BE APPOINTED,

[(Special to Gisborno Times.) Wellington,.lnst night. Tho Government h.t-i introduood a Dofonoo Act Amendment Bill, whioh provides for tho uppumtmout of a Ceunail of Defonou. Members of tho Oouooil aro to bo appointed for not moro than fivo yoars, but ro-appointmonts aro provided for. Too Minister for Dufonco is to bo rcaponaiblu to the Governor and Parliament for all tbo business of tho Council. Tho business of the Oouuoil, other than business which tho Minister for Dofonoo especially reserves to htmsolf, shall bo transacted iu tho following principal divisions : (a) Too first military member of thu Council (tho chief oi tbo general stall) and tbo socond military member (tho aojusaut-gonorul

aud quiu-;ciTuU:U-tn'go...c-rai) shall bo responsible to tue Deßuoo Minister for such portion of tno organisation, disposition, personnel, u>maiiiou , and mamtorianco oi too dolor,co torero i.e .-hall bo assigned to them ; to) Jim iiutmuo member of too Council vv.ll deal wtid Dim finnuoa of too liii'euou forces and such other business as tho Minister may ns-ton so him ; (e) tho secretary of tho' Loaned wifi bo charged with sho cflioiul cummunicuiious of tho Uounoil and such othur duties as may bo assiguod to him. Tho Bill provides for power to appoint an Inspector-Gouoral, who is to inspect and report on tho dofonces.

When tho Bill was introduced in tho Houso Mr James Alien took advantage of tho opportunity to ask tho Premier onoo moro to aunounoo his policy.

Sir Josopb Ward said it was tho wrong time to mako any such statement. He would mako it on the second reading, and would take his full time iu doing eo. It would take tho best pact of his hour to mako tho slatomoat, and ho would do so at a tims when it would go on reoord as it should,

Mr J. Alien: 11 Well, will you state when you intond to take tho sooond reading?” Sir Josoph Ward : No. I will not state anything of the kind. The hon. members knows 1 stated to tho Houso that I intended to mako tho statemmt. I propose to do so on tho aeoond reading, and will ask iho House to put tho Bill through this session.

Mr Alien expressed regret that the Premier was so facatious over tho matter. Personally ho had no intention of being discouraged. Sir Joseph Ward Baid tho Bill was a very important one, and ha would make a full explanation of it on the secoud reading, when everybody who desired would have an opportunity of spoaking upon it. Mr Allen characterised the Premise’s refusal to explaio the Bill as very unreasonable and improper. All the time he had been in the House it had been the practice to ask Ministers to oxplain measures that came down by Governors’ messages,

Sir Joseph Ward repeated that it was tbo wrong tims to go into tho dafcails of the Bill, but he would say that it provided for ihe appointment of a Council of Defence. The Minister of Defence was to be responsible to the Governor aud Parliament for all tho business of the Council, but would reserve to himself irrespective of tho Council certain powers in connection with the principal divisions of the foroes. Too Best military member of tho Board would bo chief of tae geueral stall; the second mili-ary member would be adjutant general and qaarteimaetergoneral, and would bo responsible to tho Minister for the administration, org-miaa-

tion, dispositions, personnel, annum ,ut and maintenance of certain branches. One member of the Oouuoil wou:d bo oallad a financial membor. Au Iu?p;otor-Geueral of tne foioa would bs appointed, to be under the direction of tus (Jouooil, and to report to tae Gounod B 3 to tbe practical results of iheir policy. Ocuec detai.H and tuc policy of tbo Government would be txpiaiuuU on tbo second reading.