DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 25 April 1902, Page 3

DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA.

GENERAL HUTrON'3 PROPOSALS. PEE PRESS ASSOCIATION. Melbourne, April 24. The Minister for Defence has tabled in the Houee Major G 'neral Button's minuce doling with the defence of Austra'ia.

He gays th-tt for the defence of Ana tra'ian soil a garrison force and field force are necessary, and for the defence of Australian interest wherever they are attacked, the first f ssential is sea supremacy guaranteed by the Royal JPavy ; secondly, the possession of a field forct) capable of undertaking operations in any part of the world. The existing peace establishment o v the Commonweal* h consists of 15,470 garrison troops, and a field force nf 14,101. lie propos s with a view to putting the tr.ops ou a wnr footing to slightly increase the garrison force, and to incm ise the fiald force to 28,748, with 120 suns, and mode up with 10,458 mount«d troops, 2706 Artillery, and 15,534 infantry, thus making the total garrison and field forces 44,218. He favours the development of rifle clubs and c.-tdet eorpe, the gradual estab'ishmsnt of small arms and ammunition, shell and coidite factorial*, and a gun fouodrv. He estimates th»t £500,000 would be sufficient to complete the garrison force, and render tho fi°ld force capable of carrying out its functions. He urges the necessity of modem equipment, and the danger of delay in completing a proper scheme of ■ i