DEFENCE DEPARTMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2412, 1 April 1922, Page 4

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT.

CHANGES IN POLICY. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. In. the course of an interview in Wellington, the Minister of Defence (Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes) gave some information as to changes in the policy of the department under his control. The first question related to the reductions effected and in process in the personnel of the permanent staff. “The task has been made more difficult,” said the Minister, “by the fact that a large number of excellent officers have spent the best part of their lives in the service, and are, therefore, handicapped in taking up a new career. In many of these cases they have been given the option of stepping down' and taking positions a little inferior to those they occupied.” In regard to the younger men, especially those from Duntroon College, this did not apply, as their training would assist them in taking up another career. At West Point, in the United States of America, it was fouiid'thnt a large proportion of the cadets did not take up a military career, but became absorbed in.outside professions. A great .deal of consideration had been given to each individual ease, although the department had to comply with the mandate for sweeping reductions of personnel. The reduction of officers ana!other ranks in the N.Z.S.C. and R.N.Z.A. Permanent Force, Ordnance, etc., totalled.slightly over one thousand. The civil staff, which numbered 520 in 1919, had been reduced to 95. The ordnance section was now 100 strong, as against 532 in 1919. The R.N.Z.A., which numbered 315 in 1914, had been cut down to 100.

Notwithstanding these reductions, and the consequent contraction of the sphere of operations,” said the Minister, “magnificent work is being done by the remnant, proving that the retrenchment has been wisely carried out, and that those retained are capable of rendering splendid service to the Dominion.” THE TERRITORIALS.

1 In regard fo the Territorials, a valuable arm of the Defence Forces, ■the Minister expressed considerable regret that any step should he taken likely to impair the efficiency of the officers and men as a whole, hut he hoped that they would recognise the difficulties of the existing position and do their best to make up the deficiencies almost sure to,, follow the introduction of the necessary economies.

Tj had been rather difficult to decide, owing to the limited amount of money available for training, how the numbers could be reduced consistent with efficiency, and the carrying out of the law, and yet it was an absolute necessary to do that. After considerable thought it had been decided to reduce t lie age of liability for training' to 21 years, instead of 22 years at present, and there would, therefore, only be three annual quotas under training: Last year the age was reduced from 25 years to 22, commencing at 18 years.

THE QUESTION OF CAMPS. It was with great reluctance, the Minister said, that he had to consider the reduction of camps. Personally he considered that camps were a wonderful aid to efficiency, and it was very difficult, especially in the case of mounted corps, to get the maximum of efficiency without them. At one time some of the mounted regiments contributed towards the expense of this portion of their training. It _had, therefore, been decided to carry out home training only, consisting of 20 drills and 12 half-day parades annually, inclusive of musketry; but units might give trainees the option of consolidating this training in a seven days’ camp in lieu of intennittent drills, for which no pay would be given. Every effort on the part of the trainees to arrange for camps would be encouraged by (lie defence authorities.

“The sweeping reductions which have been made in the Defence Department have resulted entirely from the necessity for drastic economies in the Public Service,” added the Minister, “and not because of the desirability for reducing the staff owing to the end of the war. If the result of experience shows that an enlargement of the personnel and a reinstatement of conditions abolished at present is necessary to the efficiency of the service, there will not be a great deal of difficulty in the near future in seriously considering the position when financial conditions improve.”

RIFLE CLUBS. The policy pursued in regard to rifle .clubs was to encourage them by cheap rifles (£1 each) and ammunition at 5s 6d per 100 rounds —a quarter of the cost, the Defence vote making up the difference. The 1,020 report on defence made the following allusion to rifle clubs, which puts the position fairly:— “Rifle clubs cannot be considered as a second line to the Territorial Force on mobilisation. They do not possess the organisation to fit in with any fighting force, while all their members of military age will be Territorial Force reservists, and would be liable to be called to the Territorial Force on mobilisation. The proper role of rifle clubs is the encouragement 'of rifle shooting, which should be encouraged as much as the need for economy will allow. The assistance given should be mainly in the form of cheap ammunition, but any assistance given should apply equally to members of rifle clubs and to territorials who wish for further practice in addition to their compulsory musketry course.”