OUR DEFENDERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 213, 17 December 1910, Page 2

OUR DEFENDERS

THE NEW COMMANDANT AT WORK. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Friday. As Major-General Godley is now directly responsible for the efficiency ol the forces and direction of military affairs, the position of the chief of the general staff hitherto held by Colonel Robin is no longer necessary. The commandant has recommended the appointment of Colonel Robin as AdjutantGeneral, a position which under the new scheme will be a more important one than before. The service will then, under the Commandant, be divided into four branches as follows:.—Military training and education, Lieut.-Colonel E. S. Heard; military operations and intelligence, Lieut-Colonel J. T. Burnett Stuart, D.5.0.; ordnance, Lieut.-Colonel H. F. Head, N.Z.M.; adjutant-general, Lieut-Colonel A. W. Robin, C.B. Lieut.Colonel Tuson held office as adjutantgeneral under the Defence Council untill about seven months ago, and since I his departure for England Captain R. Seddon has carried out the duties of the position. The Commandant has been reviewing the personnel of the headquarters staff, and it is likely that several other changes will soon be made. General Godley has been reviewing applications for the positions of area officers and non-commissioned officers in connection with the compulsory military training of young men in the Dominion, and will probably announce appointments in a few days. In order that all officers and non-commissioned officers who are to be entrusted with the carrying out of the new scheme may be made thoroughly conversant with the duties to be allotted them', the Commandant is arranging a two months' central encampment somewhere in the vicinity of Pigeon Bush, Featherston, commencing in January next. Lieut.-Colonel Heard, director of military training and education, will be in command, but MajorGeneral Godley will keep a supervising j eye on the work.