THE VOLUNTEER FORCES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2220, 25 October 1907, Page 1

THE VOLUNTEER FORCES.

COLONEL DAVIES’ STATEMENT

A MINISTERIAL EXPLANATION

Special to Times. WELLINGTON, Oct. 24. The Acting-Minister for Defence, Hon. It. McNab, was asked the following question in the House yesterday afternoon : “(1) Whether his attention lias been called to a public statement said to have been made at Christchurch recently by Colonel It. H. Davies, one of the paid officers of the defence forces of tho Dominion, to tho effect that the volunteers- of the 'Dominion were “weeds,” and whether the Minister proposes to ta'ko any action in tho matter in view of the unfounded nature of Colonel Davies’ allegation: (2) whether the Minister’s attention lias been drawn to the alleged public advocacy by Colonel Davies of a question of State policy, namely, compulsory universal military training for tile iieojile 0 i New Zealand ; also (3) whether the Minister intends to take any .disciplinary action in tho matter, seeing that members of tho defence forces are forbidden by tlio regulations under the Defence Act to take any public part in political agitation!-'’ The attention of tho Acting-Minister of Defence is called to what was at loged to have been stated by Colonel Davies, with the result that the Minister is satisfied tho member has been misinformed regarding the statements made by the Colonel. The local newspaper report of the speech delivered conveys no suggestion that tho volunteers of tho Dominion were described as “weeds.” The officer in question was describing tile nature of tho military service of tho various nations of tho world, and stated that every nation except Britain and America had some form of compulsory service. Speaking of universal military service, Colonel Davies statci that it meant that the flower of tho nation ,tho brightest and best, would bo its soldiers not tho “weeds.” The Colonel was not speaking of tho New Zealand volunteers when lie' was making the statement, but was defending universal military service from tho charge of bringing into tho ranks of the soldiers only tlio weeds of tho country. Colonel Davies’ report (on page’2l of Parliamentary paper Hl9 of this session) gives his personal opinion of the New Zealand volunteers in the following words:— “The men arc of superior education and intelligence and of good physique.” Of tho field artilery he says: “They aro of a very good stamp, and aro keen.” The Mounted Rifles are described as being “generally of very good physique,” the field hospital and bearer corps aro stated by the Colonel to be “smart, keen, and well up in their duties.” Speaking generally of the state of efficiency of the men, he savp: “The excellent material ot which the force of this country is composed demands higher training and qualifications in . its officers. This completely disproves tne suggestion that the Colonel s statement regarding “weeds” referred to tho New Zealand volunteers, it appears that a telegram was associated w.it'h the name of an ex-officer of volunteers who resigned during Colonel Divies’ command of his district. In regard to the second question asked, the Colonel did not express.any opinion on any political question. Addressing tho gathering, ho urged the ladies present to -endeavor to secure “by sentiment and not by politics universal service amongst tlio young men of tliis country. It is quite a proper tiling for officers to urge every one to train for the defence of their country and to join the volunteeis to do so.