LORD KITCHENER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 708, 13 January 1910, Page 3

LORD KITCHENER.

Sydney, January n

Lord Kitchener unveiled a memorial at Bathurst to the local soldiers who fell in the Boer war.

Lord Kitchener has departed to Lithgow, where he inspects the site for the proposed small arms factory. Thence he proceeds via Bathurst to Melbourne. In saying farewell he expressed himself as highly pleased with his visit.

It is rumoured that when Lord Kitchener was inspecting the harbour defences he asked why there was no fort on the North Head. He was informed that it would be so isolated from the rest of the defences, and that it could easily be cut off and taken, and its guns turned against Sydney. Lord Kitchener is said to have replied that if any enemy could land and take the fort it could do so if there was no tort, and could then laud guns and turn them on Sydney-

THE CHRISTCHURCH RECEPTION.

Christchurch, January 10

A meeting of Christchurch citizens decided to cable to Lord Kitchener to enquire what he would prefer in the way of an entertainment while in Christchurch—garden party, banquet, or the presentation of an address.

Meebourne, January 12

The Federal Ministry entertained Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener at a dinner in Parliament House. Lord Chelmsford, Actiug-Governor-Geueral of Australia, presided over a distinguished gathering. The Hon. A. Deakin, Prime Minister, proposed the health of the guest. In the course of his remarks he said: ‘‘lam convinced that before Lord Kitchener has left he will have summed up the elements of the defence problem in such a fashion that we may at least feel that our foot has found the right and straight path. Under this guidance we hope to essay that organisation of the laud forces which will couple their development with those of the naval streng th.” BEST RAW MATERIAL IN THE WORLD.

Lord Kitchener, in his reply, reiterated that he had been much struck with the very strong and widespread determination existing in Australia for an efficient citizen force. The want of population was a difficulty to be carefully considered, but Australia possessed first-rate material on which to work. In no other country in the world did the young men show such natural qualifications on which to build a military career. A great deal of the training that in the ordinary course was necessary to obtain an efficient soldier, was already part of tbeir daily life. He advised that the excellent natural characteristics of young Australia should be carefully preserved, and went on to urge the importance of establishing a highclass primary military educational system for the training of officers. AIM HIGH, AND SPEND WISELY.

There was no reason, the FieldMarshal declared, why the national forces of Australia should make their standard of efficiency on a par with, if not higher than, those of the military Powers of Europe and elsewhere, but they could not expect immediate results if they aimed at a high ideal. Time was necessary for the new methods to take eifect. During the transition period they would have to devise means to gradually secure an improved organisation without interfering with its development. After uttering a warning against indulging in unneccessary expense, Lord Kitchener declared that if the work were thoroughly done he did not think a national army organised on sound lines need bring undue strain on the financial resources of the country.

Sir George Reid roused much merriment by announcing that he had intended to propose a scheme of national defence, but Lord Kitchener had intercepted him at every point.