NEW DEFENCE SCHEME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 220, 11 January 1911, Page 2

NEW DEFENCE SCHEME

IMPORTANT MEMORANDUM. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday. An important memorandum bearing on the new defence scheme has just been issued from headquarters to officers commanding districts. Thiß sets out that the Dominion will be divided into lour military districts—Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury-Nelson, and Otago. Each district is subdivided into area groups (each furnishing one infantry battalion and a proportion of mounted men), and each group is again subdivided into areas.

Twenty-eight officers, twenty-eight non-commissioned officers, and fifty N.C.O. instructors have been selected on probation and are now being trained in tneir duties at the camp at Featherstou. This training will be completed about March 10 next. The two sergeant-major instructors of the permanent staff are also attending the camp. When their training is completed fifty-six of these warrant and non-commissioned officers will be placed in charge of areas, one so each of the fifty-six areas into which the Dominion is divided. This arrangement will continue until eventually the areas can be officered by graduates from the military colleje. The first duty of these officers and warrant and non-commissioned officers on being posted to their groups and areas will be to commence the registration and recruiting necessary to bring the territorial force up to its new establishment and to organise the training ot the general training section and senior cadets as required by the Defence Act. Registration is to be completed by June 30, 1911, when the necessary quotas required to complete the territorial force will be declared and the training of those not called upon to serve in the territorial force will be put into operation.

A copy of the proclamation giving effect to the Act is to be issued forthwith. In the meantime officers commanding districts will take steps to ensure that the following points are understood by all concerned throughout their districts:—

fa) That young men who were over eighteen and under twenty-one years of age on November 2, 1910, may, if

passed as physically lit, at cr.ee and without waiting for selection volunteer to join the territorial unit oi the branch in which they wish to serve nearest to their place of residence, it being understood that those who do not serve in the territorial

force will be trained in the general training section when registration is complete. (b) That all officers, warrant officers, N.C.O. and men who were over the age of twenty-one on Nevember 2, 1910, now serving in the volunteers may, if they so desire, continue to serve in the territorial force until the establishments are completed and maintained by the automatic action of the quota system. Given the approximate boundaries of area groups and areas and the number and nature of the units to be furnished and maintained in each district, it remains with officers commanding districts to arrange what existing units in their districts shall be amalgamated or. disbanded and how and where the new units shall be raised as to pro : duce the required establishment.

It lias been decided to continue the present system of capitation gr|nts for the financial year 1911-12 to enable liabilities to be paid off.

In connection with the military areas No. 8 group comprises the electoral districts of Taranaßl, Egmont, Stratford, Tatea and Taumarunui, south of a line running due east from the mouth of the Mokau River to Lake Taupo to the Rangitikei, north of a line joining Makirikiri, Mangamahos and Ohingaiti. Area 20 comprises the electoral districts of Taranaki, and that portion of Taumarunui within 10 miles of flic West Coast; area 30, Stratford and that portion of Egmont north of a line joining Eltham and Opunake including these places; area 31, the electoral district of Patea and that portion of Egmont south of a line from Eltham to Opunake. '