DEFENCE STAFF.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1922, Page 1

DEFENCE STAFF.

TO BE HIGHLY TRAINED

M INISTER’S STATEMENT,

I BY TEI.EC RAM—PER Pit ESS ASSOCIATION,

CHRISTCHURCH, April 27

Aii interesting statement as to ins intentions in regard to maintaining tae efficiency of the defence staff, as far as the recent retrenchment will hermit him, was made by tlie Minister ol Defence. Sir Heaton Rhodes, when laying the foundation stone of Greenpark Memorial Hall to-day. The retrenching in the staff had previously been referred to by Mr R. Macartney, who expressed tho opinion that every younji New Zealander should he so trained in arms, as to he ready whenever a call

came. Sir I lea lon said -Mr .Macartney’s idea! was a very proper one. The taslc ol reducing tlie forces had been a necessary one. Other Ministers had had to dispense with the services of part ol their stall's, hut Ins own task had been all the harder for him, as he had had to dispense with men who had served loyally and well, not only in New Zealand, but also overseas. However, the necessity for economy bad made the step imperative. There had been a demand from Parliament and from the country for retrenchment. In fact, a certain section of the community wanted no defence at all, but lie was determined that that position should not arise. The department’s object now was to keep an efficient, well trained stall' of officers and n.e.o’s'. Such a trained staff they were determined to keep. As had been shown in the war, a force could he trained in a comparatively short time, hilt it was not so as far as officers and n.c.o.’s were concerned, and the smaller the stall' that tfas retained, the higher trained they must he. That principle would give an efficient skeleton force, about which a larger force could comparatively quickly he built as the occasion demanded.