TERRITORIAL FORCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 47, 17 October 1931, Page 5

TERRITORIAL FORCE

Special Commissioner).

training in camp not possible this year "BIVOUAC" SCHEME PROPOSED

("Post"

WELLINGTON, Friday. As the outcome of further financial economies which the Government has been obliged to impose upon varisus Departments, it has been found necessary to suspend the annual training camps of the territorial force. In announcing the decision to-day, the Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, said that when the scheme of voluntary enlistments was inaugurated last June, it was confidently hoped that it would be possible for all units of the territorial force to hold annual camps, for attendance at which all ranks would receive pay, These camps had a special importance in that they provided the only opportunity during the year for collective and field training. "In order to bring expenditure; within the newly allotted limits," said Mr. Cobbe, "it is now clear that it will unfortunately not be possible tc hold annual camps on the scale and scope originally hoped for. "By careful husbanding of the money available, however, a system of 'bivouac' training without pay will be possible during the present training year. These bivouacs have been very suecessfully tried out in Australia and will provide a mOst efficient means 6f tiding over the; present difficult period. "It is proposed that the bivouacs shall be held at the smaller centres, i.e., those at which companies, squadrons, platoons or troops, etc., can be easily . assembled, thus advoiding the e'xpenses of concentrating complete units. Though it will not be possible to" issue pay, there will be quarters, rations fuel and cooking provided. "The bivouac will- be somewhat shorter in duration than the usual camp, and will thus impose' a lesser burden on employers and employees alike during the present crisis.