MILITARY TRAINING

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2424, 4 May 1922, Page 2

MILITARY TRAINING

NEW SCHEME OUTLINED BY

CAPTAIN MEAD.

ENDORSED BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. At Tuesday’s meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce, Captain Mead, officer in charge of this rnilitarv district, outlined a new scheme for tliA training of territorials and senior cadets to replace the present system. An invitation to employees and the public to he present was extended by the Chamber. Captain Mead thanked the Chamber for affording him an opportunity to place the scheme before those interested.

He said that necessity for training is still apparent and referred to the unsettled state of the world, the aftermath of the Great World War, the Eastern problem, Irish unrest, State of India and Egypt. The Genoa Conference indicated that the affairs of nations are extremely difficult to adjust The Defence scheme and Universal Military Service was still in force, though modified since its inception in 1911. The training age was from 14 to 18 with the Senior Cadets, 18 to 25 with the Territorials and 25-,/ to -30 with the Reserve. Service with the Territorials now closed at . 21 years. The training radius for Infantry or Senior Cadets is, within three miles of a Drill Centre, ordinary parades, and within six miles the whole or half day parades. Mounted men residng within five miles . of a Drill Gentle,ordinary parades, and ten miles . whole and half day parades. Trainees residing over three miles or five miles, as above were posted to the non-effective list. The prescribed training was: — Senior Cadets —sft drills of one hour or 3ft drills of l-I hours, 12 half days of 3 hours or 6 whole day parades of six hours each. Territorials: Prescribed annual course of musketry, 3ft parades of one and a-half hours each,'l2 half-day or six whole-day parades, prescribed annual course of musketry, nine days’ camp. He said his object in attending the meeting was to place before employers a proposed scheme of tramming to take the place of the present 1 , system. The change in the present system was necessitated by a reduction of the Defence vote, which in 1914 was approximately 1 £550,000, as against the present year’s estimates of £300,000. A new system, therefore) was necessary to meet with the amount of money now available for training purposes. Drastic reductions in the staff have L been made, and the proposed sche-'y me aims at producing the greatest standard oj efficiency for the smallest amount of expenditure. The proposed scheme is that instead of the 'present system of fortnightly parades and half-day parades, the training he carried out in a con- ' timious period of .seven working days of six hours each. Trainees will parade at a drill centre every day for seven days, and so complete their training for the year. Trainees will live at theil’ own homes, and the training will be continuous and progressive, producing greater efficiency and making it much more interesting for trainees. The scheme/ would effect a big saving' in time and travelling expenses of instructors, this centre alone would cost • £37 per year less than at present. The time of training to be that best suited to a majority of employers, . , and two periods would probably be necessary. The scheme is a temporary measure until more money is available. \ I

Captain Mead answered a number , of questions, which satisfied those . present that the proposed scheme would be more • effective, economical and would not inflict hardship on employers. On the motion of the Mayor, seconded by Mr Christie, the following resolution was carried unanimously: That the Chamber accords its hearty support to the scheme of seven days’ continuous training, as outlined by Captain Mead, in lien of present system, and recommends that the first period of training he in July. Captain Mead was accorded a vote of thanks for his address.