COMPULSORY MILITARISM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 709, 15 January 1910, Page 3

COMPULSORY MILITARISM.

HOW THE NEW ACT APPLIES.

EVERY MAN AFFECTED

Within three months every man in the Dominion eligible for compulsory military training must apply for registration. All male inhabitants between the ages of 14 and 55 come within the scope of the Act, which is to be brought into active operation before the end of the year. The Defence Bill did not receive as much consideration when before Parliament as it might have done, and the result is that the majority of those people whom it vitally affects are not aware what is really instore lor them. There are no exemptions ; rich man and poor man, employer and employee, all must fulfil their obligations according to the conditions of the Act. There is no waiting for an officer to come round and ask your name and age. The onus lies with the recruit himself to register for service, and to register within a prescribed time, or take the consequences. Under the Act there are four divisions of military service. For the effective defence of New Zealand, thoroughly not less than 30,000 trained men are required There will be coastal and mobile defence forces, a’nd once the new Act is in operation, a great scheme of internal defence will be perfected. The law just placed on

the Statute Book provides for a strong permanent force, a territorial force, a militia force, and a . force on which falls universal obligation to be trained. WHERE COMPULSION APPLIES.

Those subject to compulsory training are all male inhabitants between the ages of twelve and thirty years. This part ot the Act provides for the training of those between 12 and .14 years of age in the junior cadets ; 14 to 18 in the senior cadets; 18 to 21 in the general training section, and from 21 to 30 in the reserve force. The junior cadets must put in not less than 52 hours’ training. The senior cadets shall in each year spend six whole days, twelve half days in training, and 24 nights in drilling. The general training section is the one in which most interest centres. It applies to all males between the ages of 18 and 21, the prescribed training for whom is 14 days per year in the training camp, and 25 half days, except in the case of the Artillery and Engineer branches, in which the training shall be 14 days in training camp, and 20 half days. All persons so trained are under control of the Council of Defeue, which means strictly military law. While three years’ compulsory training is nominally slated as sufficient, those undergoing the course must each year pass an “efficiency” standard, otherwise they will be liable for an additional for each year that they are non-efficient.

The reserve force consisting of men between 21 and 30 years of age, must put in two muster parades in each year. MILITIA AND TERRITORIAL FORCES.

All the male inhabitants of New Zealand between the ages of 17 and 55, with a few specified exceptions, are liable to be trained and serve in the militia. The militia is divided into the following classes.

Class I; Unmarried men between 17 and 30 years of age.

Class II : Married men between 17 and 30 years of age, and unmarried men between 30 and 40 years of age.

Class III; Married men between 30 and 55 years of age, and unmarried men 40 and 55 years of age.

In time of war it shall be lawful for the Governor to call upon persons liable to serve in the militia to enrol in the militia. The persons so liable shall be enrolled only alter the persons specified in each preceding class are called out. Under the scheme fora Territorial Force, it is lawful for the Governor to raise and maintain a body of men and to transfer (rom the General Training Section any number of men necessary to make up that establishment. On a day to be notified by Proclamation, all volunteer corps at present in existence will cease to exist, and any member of such corps shall be entitled to be enrolled in the Territorial force in the same rank as that which he held in the volunteer force- Praescribed training is laid down for each year, and here, also, it a member of the Territorial Force fails to be classified as “efficient'’ his training will be prolonged. Kvery person under the age of 30 years who has been classified as “ efficient for three years, shall be drafted into the Reserve Force, unless he prefers to remain in (he Ten itorial ranks. 150,000 TRAINED MEN. Any employer attempting to prevent any person in his employ from serving in the senior cadets, General Trailing Section, or Territorial Force, as required by the Act, or attempts to penalise him, reduce his wages, or dismiss him from employment, will be liable to a fine of £lO. Those compelled to spend 14 days in camp will receive free rations and ammunition, and 3s per day. Employers will not be called upon to pay the men for the time they are awav from work. Ihe population the Bill will affect will be 87,000, of whom 38,142 are between 14 and 18 years of age, and 31,022 between 18 and 51. Within 10 years it is expected that the Reserve Force, of men over 21 years of age, will be built up to 60,000. In a few years time it is anticipated that there will be between 100,000 and 150,000 in the Dominion with some military training, and a knowledge of how to use a rifle.