TERRITORIAL IRREGULARS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 33, 20 October 1911, Page 12

TERRITORIAL IRREGULARS.

On the Estimates there is an item; £2000 for pas sago s and expenses of ; cadets attending Australian Military; College. Two hunched pounds for each; young gentleman! It would be inter-, esting to know how many of tlidso; cadets destined to be the future officers: of oiir democratic army wore the sons, of workers. But perhaps the only part' the workers ■ need-take •'is that of paying £200 each for passage -money and; expenses. ■ ' " ' ;

The Estimates show- a sum of £5000: for medical fees for the medical exam-; ination of senior cadets and £3500 for' the medical examination of Territoriais. No wonder mrme people support military training ;

Anio?]igst otlior items on the Estimates' there appears the item £ICOO for. niGssiiig allowance for Territorial officers. ' A great deal has been said about the:democratic constitution of our. new citizen army —about .the great benefit which is to be derived from the officers and men rubbing shoulders together, etc. .Why should they not moss 'in. exactly, the same .maii'ucr? Why should the workers pay to permit the. officers to live better than the men?

There is also a.n item,.'' Outfit grant to officers (Territorial), £1000." It is believed that this is to help the officers provide fuH-i'i-ess uniforms. Why should the workers contribute to tbisK We are told that it is a citiaeii army which is being organised hero. W.Tiy; all theso inipovt:«tlona of men and. ideas from tho Imperial Army? ;

Tho total vote for the whole of the Permanent Force? (tho R.N.Z. Artillery), officers and men, Is £51,064. The vote for the -salaries of the officers of tho Imperial General Staff (tho import-, ed gentlemen) is £27,525.

There is an allow-siice of £8000 for "travelling expenses and allowances" for the officers of tho [mperial General blaff. What a lot of travelling they must intend to do! Recently th.c Comniar.da.nfc of t.ho Citizen Anr.y. a.nd a couploof at aif officers paid a visit to a southera city. Ib was remarked by a gentleman who saw the lugga.go of the ixirt-y that at first he was under the impression that it was tho "property" af a large ' theatrics J company. , ■ . - • -* * , * ; - ; ' . ... '

In the report of the Commsixiaßt of the -New 2ksalan<l -Oitizott ' Am>y ; the

Commandant says at" the end of five years-it'ris that in many oases the Lnperiaj officers may be replacedby N.Z. officers. In. the meantime still they come (see last cable announcing depaxtur© of anothet onic for N.Z.).

"Every recommendation for a com,mission will be made-in the first instance by the officer commanding unit or coj'ps in which the officer is to serve." How intensely democratic r * * * The new Regulations for the Territorial Force have been approved by /-Cabinet, piiblished and issued. Did tihe Cabinet read them ?■- : -If so, how cam© they to pass them ? ■*■■.* w

It is reported on creditable authority that the Commaiidant of the Citizext Army is much perturbed because the salary of some of the young officers is so low that they have aiot been able to purchase some uniform (full-dress, mess-dress, etc.), without which they; were unable to attend a Government House ball. How dreadful! But the Commandant is going to have the matter righted. "Human naurc is • prone to reasoii as to the necessity of things" (report of Commandant). What a discovery for an. Imperial General Staff officer to make! But he rather spoils this startling admission by. emphasising the necessity of abolishing ; i reason in -the citizen soldier and substituting "discipline."

"The chief Lessor they (the citizen> soldiers) must learn is that of discipline; it is the most important, amdt perhaps, with some, the most. difficult, but the habit must be acquired/—» Report of Commandant.