OUR DEFENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 16 August 1907, Page 4

OUR DEFENCES.

LMrOKTANT UECOMMEXDATLONS. THE COUNCIL'S FIRST REPORT. A NEW SYSTEM. Ihe New Zealand Defence Council, which has taken the place of the previous administration and control oi' tins l'orccs, submitted its lirst report to Parliament lust week. The policy oi tin: Council is explained thus: - all circumstances into consideration it. was decltK'd that tin.' policy oi' the defence should for the present continue purely voluntary; that regulations he made and amended to further encourage enlistment and cllicieney; thai provision be math' lor 'forming rest tw* i'or more d'Tentrali-ation, increasing iim powers and initiative of district commanders, and for the completion of >tal)'s, etc.. and generally that endeavor be made to popularise the forte in the eyes of the public; that the force be for sen ice in defence of the colony, oversea. contingents required at any time being raised and equipped as a special force; that coast defence be considered, ami when decided gone on with and maintained in relation to the naval policy existing between the Home Country and our colony. Should the volunteer force not be maintained or brought up to an ellieient stage volunteering has had its last chance. If the general public are in earnest i\> to defence they must themselves assist and ensure that sullicient enlistment is made, and that once men are enlisted they attend regularly. The alternative is a .-ystem of universal or compulsory training, whereby the burden of service in the defence forces "will be more evenly distributed. MILITARY DiSTIUCTS.

The present military districts will be maintained. As communication improves between the West Coast aud Canterbury the district of Nelson nnisi be absorbed in Canterbury. Districts have in the past »uliered irom lack oi stall and instruction and from curtailed command. The stall's of each district are now being completed as lullows;--Assistant Adjt.-Ccnej.il (a pennanenL oilicer), Assistant crai (volunteer oJlicers on partial pay), Principal Medical oJUeer (volunteers), Senior Vet. obiter (volunteer), Inteliigency oincer (volunteer), Signalling ollicer (volunteer), Mobilisation Storekeeper (permanent), Artillery ollicer (oincer commanding detachment Permanent Force), btall' Sergt.-Major Instructors (permanent in proportion as available), cierks (permanent in proportion as available—except Nelson, where there is no assistant Adjutant-Ceueral required). With this stalT the, oilicers commanding districts should sho\v better results in the held ellicicncy of their districts.

| UK< UXISATioX AM) | Hitherto no general .-y.sU.iu has c.v iflod for tin- guidance 01 udicer.-» coiumumiiiiL; districts. Tin; rospojii an.l sphere of tiie O.C. district is much enlarged and more initiative allowed him. 'I he deicix »• forces iu each district arc now clas-diud into i.aj coa*a. dei*ULl:'vJ foiVc, a JlXfi] deU-lice of tin; IVrnnineiit L ; ohc a:;d the Cani--oii Artillery Volunteer divisions and Submarine jiiniug Volunteer.-; directly linked tti tln.Mii; (li) a mob:ie lield force composed of the various other branches of t 1h• actively .serving volunteer.*; (e) reserved to the above forces composed of reserves. NKW lliait'LATlO.XS. Defence Cadets and Hille Club-; will all have specilied duties assigned to thorn. The mobilisation regulations will contain all information as to how these various bodies will act and assemble iu case of need or for manoeuvres. This organisation will assist the task of instruction and ensure the disposition of the force in emergency as provided for in the general defence schemes for the colony. An amount is being asked separately for an equipment to enable a sullieient force at short notice to be rapidly mobilised to take the iieid in each district, with a general instructional .-I,iff to move regularly round liie district-, ii-r the higher training, arranging for continuous courses where possible. and on evenings and hulf-imliday* lor those who cannot give continuous Atendance, wiil belter the present state of all'airs ami enable a progressive policy of military education to be carried out. To this end the instructional .-tali' iu each district has already been broiigiiL together for a short correcting eour.-e. Not before ii was needed, however, the result showing that the greatest care must lie taken in the selection of instructors, and oven then both olliccrs and noil-comuiisMoiK'd oliicer instruct or* rotjuire to be periodically tested aad examined. Arrangements are made for a seven days' continuous course of instruction in each district, at a suitaljle time, and place, should sufficient officers Ik l found to attend, embracing dr 11, musketry, tactics, and administration. Facilities will also be given to such officers who cannot attend duriung a continuous course. By this mean- tlic higher ! raining of the officers will receive attention, and during the summer a scries of tactical exercises and staff rides will be arranged iu districts on schemes and detail furunished by headquarters.

IXTELLIUEXCE. A scctiou lor intelligence lias beon formed. This very important department uf a military service is naturally in many ways of a cvuiideulial, ui'leii se< let character. Muck important and valuable information lias already been circulated to those concerned. The eolleetion of intelligence now in hand wiii shortly enable an t hangc to be completed with the War Office, Canada and Australia, and cannot tail to product better preparedness in our forces. The work of this section is being made to conform to the methods laid down by the Imperial service, so that the ex[changes bear more than local signili--MOIiIUSATION.

This most important question in the pa-t has been barely touched, but is now receiving close attention. Without some general system ,no force can lie made u*c ol to advanage at short notice, or piuviued for until they reach their destination. To meet this and enable all concerned to become acquainted with their duties a set of regulations and instructions i,,r mobilisation suited to lo'-al rc^juin-s is H'n,Weil iorv.aid. 'I lie-e will lie prjiii-'d and ukeii in'o it-.: v. ian coniplclcc. V\j'Jl a i 'ft It'] - l.uowlcilge of '.lie (liili'j- many iri'i lai'iii"s and inisohlicrh iiuthiirN ei a--ciiililing troops lor maiioeu vic - w ii! -iu: pi.ii i. to 1 Inlmtliod wliich should obtain when called up lor service. 'i he necessity for a nucleus of all Army .Service C'o"rps will be at once apparent with these regulations. The ellicient carrying out of the several defence schemes for the colony is really dependent on a sound mobilisation only . H applied to the a.-tive lone, but al-o to its upkeep and (he angiuen! ing ,ame as the exigencies of the service demand. WAK KiXiIT.ATIOXS.

These regulations, being u f a , lloro or less confidential nature, need not here be detailed. Sufficient to say that they bear a close relation to the defence schemes. Senior officers are belli" Hit', confidence in this respect and given ne-rc opportunities to become ai(|iiaiiili'd in W! ir, il being obvious that il thc-e matters are kept locked ll|, in on:, place the officer, concerned not having the chance to study 'hell!, lot be depend dlo cany out Ih.'lr dmic, should the emergcucv suddenlv arise.