LORD KITCHENER'S REPORT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 335, 10 March 1910, Page 5

LORD KITCHENER'S REPORT

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DEFENCE. i>y leiegiapu. —llcaa Asaut.;.i,..iiu. Kotoiua, Last Night. Lord Kitchener s report upon -Now Zealand deieiK.e is manuy composed ol part one oi ins .Aiistrai.Lin rept.i\, and is accuiiijiiiiued by a covering memo. Lord Kitchener considers die necessity for improved training m uii> eouiun equally as marked as in Australia, tie considers that lor a land loree New Zealand and Australia siioulu adopt homogeneous military systems so as to be uiii»\ to support one another in national danger. He suggests sending <-adets destined to be instructors m NewZealand, to Australian military colleges. He proposes tor New Zealand 5.) aieas, 30 in tne Aortn and 25 in the South Island, to provide the same quotas as recommended for Australia—permanent instructional oliicers required for "area" work also would be 55 >ubalterns and captains, a;id six majors. Thirty permanent officers now employed with the permanent forces, etc.. will also be wanted. Lord Kitchener recoin mends the eventual est.tblishmnt for New Zealand of a Staff Corps of 100 officers. He suggests sending ten cadets annuaiiy to the proposed Australian college,'from which live would be chosen for commission in the Start' corps. Lord Kitchener emphasises the importance or a high standard of effeiency, and keeping defence matters aside from party politics.

In the course of an interview on tlic Field Marshal's report, Sir .Joseph Ward described the probable cost to the Dominion of the adoption of the scheme. He estimates it roughly at £470,000 per year by the time it should have been in operation seven .years.'. This included a margin for safety of £25,000. He added that the total provision on this year's t estimates for New Zealand lie fence was £202,(118, besides an additional £150.000 spread over three years. The Prime Minister concluded that to put the scheme into full operation would cost New Zealand an additional £.25,000 per year at first, and £125,000 per year in seven years' time, beyond what was proposed to be paid under the syrtem of internal defence now in operation. Of this about £IOO.OOO would represent the annual additional cost. Sir Josieph thought the people of New Zealand would agree that if '*e were to have an effective system of defence for ,New Zealand, Lord Kitchener's report should be accepted as the lines upon which we should go. He did not anticipate increased taxation would be necessary to bear the cost of the scheme.' Bringing into force of the full proposals would in any case be gradual. Full details and comparisons of Lord Kitchener's scheme and the 'War Offfice proposals were, he said, being prepaid', for Parliament. Lord Kitchner's report wn the harbour defences he would not disclose, these being confidential.