DEFENCE POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1921, Page 1

DEFENCE POLICY

REPLY TO MR. W3LFORD.

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION,

WBMJNGTON, May 8.

Tn an interview with the Attcklaaid “Star”' recently, Mr Willard, leader of the Opposition, criticised the ta'k of economy in Government Department's as so much “political eyewash”. He instanced the Defence Department where, he said, notwithstanding the fact that the Minister of Defence had stated there would be no camps or Territorial training for two years, no attempt was being made to dispense with group officers, area officers and the staff attendant on such officers. Interviewed to-day by a “Post” reporter, the Minister of Defence said that his statement was that there would be no camps for two years, but not that there would be no training “Under the existing law,” he continued, “every boy on leaving the primary school must register and receive training up to the age of 18 years when, if physically fit, he is transferred to the reserve Training* i" obligatory but the nature of training is variable, and in accordance with the Act will be as prescribed. It will thus be seen that the Minister has no power to abolish training altogether, and that as it must be carried out an adequate staff in groups and areas throughout the Dominion is necessary for administration and organisation and training of Cadets, Territorials and rifle clubs, which for the whole Dominion total 70.000. Annual camps have been dispensed with for the purposes of economy although normal training, evening and half-day parades, can he and are now being carried out at small cost in comparison to the expenditure in connection with the camps, which involve daily payments for each man attending in addition to cost of rations, transport, etc To dispense with group and area officers would totally disorganise the presen? defence system and if the present law is to he adhered to could not he done without disastrous results to the future efficiency of the forces and defence of the Dominion on mobilisation, any more than it would be possible to effect economy by dispensing with the services of schoolmasters and teachers in the Education Department. Economies in the Defence Department are being effected wherever possible. In salaries alone the monthly expenditure 1 1 v this department is now £20,000 less titan for the corresponding period of the previous year.”