NEW DEFENCE SCHEME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 225, 28 January 1911, Page 2

NEW DEFENCE SCHEME

ORGANISATION IN CANTERBURY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchureh, Thursday. A district order was issued to-day by the officer commanding the Canterbury military district, in which it is stated that it has been decided that the establishment of the units of the New Zealand territorial forces shall he as nearly as possible identical with the Imperial war establishment. The units are therefore to be recruited up to the following standards:—Mounted rifle regiment, 23 officers, 528 men; four-gun battery of field artillery, 40' officers, 130 men; field troop engineers, 3 officers, 78 men; field company engineers, 0 officers, 206 men; infantry battalittn, 29 officers, 995 men; cavalry field ambulance, 0 officers, 70 men'; field ambulance, 10 officers, 182 men. The detailed establishments for the Territorial forces are to be issued in due course. In the meantime the peace establishment of the forces as issued last year is to he considered obsolete except as regards the New Zealand Garrison Artillery, the establishment of which will remain for the present as formerly laid down. The establishment for mounted and dismounted signal companies will be issued later, but for the present an establishment of one officer and fifty men may be taken as a rough guide. Army Service Corps establishments will not be issued until after the arrival from England of the Director of Supplies and Transport. Emolument pending registration, will be restricted as a rule to men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years. All men enrolled from now on wili be held to serve up to the age of twenty-five. Capitation will be paid annually in respect of men who are on the 1910-11 rolls. All men enrolled after the closing of the 1010-1.1- rolls will be equipped and clothed by the Defence system.