DEFENCE POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1920, Page 3

DEFENCE POLICY.

OUTLINED IN HOUSE.

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 27. The Defence estimates were considered by the House of Representatives today, proposed expenditure to the amount of £550,593 for the current, The total vote last year was £528,725 and the expenditure was £502,465. The Minister for Defence (Hon. Heaton Rhodes) forestalled criticism By telling the House that economics were going to lie effected but many members had something to say on the s.ibject. The Minister gave some additional information regarding the new training system. Sir Heaton Rhodes reminded members that he had been merely a few weeks at the head of the Defence Department. He had told them already that the train-

ing system designed in part by his predecessors in office was under consideration. The estimates in the meantime were based upon the old system but he was hoping that the new scheme would be satisfactory to the country and would at the same time reduce the defence expenditure. The Ministers "'ere fully aware of the desire of the community that defence expenditure should be put down and they were . prepared as far as possible to cut it down. That would be their purpose during the current year. It was very likely that some of the items now on the estimates would not appear again or would be reduced substantially. The Minister thought that the Rifle Clubs had better manage their own affairs through tlie Rifle Association. The English Rifle Association was a very strong and well managed body without any miltary control. If the New Zealand one managed its own affairs young men in the Territorials conld join it and learn to shoot, as its members. It was intended that additional concessions should be given to members of rifle clubs'. Mr Wilford—Then you will say that the Defence estimates are less. Mr Massey—They will be less. The Minister for Defence said that it was propsed to cut the period of training in the Territorials down from seven years to three years. It would not extend beyond the age of 21 or 22 years. The cadet training up to the age of 18 years would be retained” It is suggested that at the end of the cadet training we should give the youths a period in camp and then draft them to units, giving them their owp choice a far as possible as to which branch of \ the service they will join. It is proposed then to give them training of so many days each year in camp. There will be no barracks system and no training for periods of months. That has never been proposed and is not under consideration now. It has been suggested that the period in camp for cadet training should be from a fortnight to six week’s, remitting training as the men proved efficient. I think myself that a. fixed period in camp will be better. The half day and whole day parades have made the training system irritating to employers and we propose to do. away with them entirely in the country. It may be more convenient for members of the Territorial force living in towns to hold half-day. parades and very likely they will have to go. He was of opinion there can he no camps this year and think we probably will have to dispense with training camps for the following year, and the year after that. It is proposed in these years to train non-commissioned officers and officers in the camps. A man can bo trained in a short period say three or four months, but officers and n.c.o. officers cannot be trained in that time. He indicated that the period in camp for the general training section after first year would be eleven days annually.