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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 228, 25 March 1912, Page 4

IN DEFENCE OF LORD HALDANE. Mr. Bonar Law fell foul of his friends in an unexpected manner when lie condemned the Army authorities a few weeks ago He aimed his shaft at Lord Haldane, but he struck the experienced officers who have been responsible for the scheme of reorganisation that has been given effect dunng recent .years. The replies came from Unionist as well as Liberal sources, j " nlltar y correspondent of the London Times himself a soldier of distinction said that it only provoked a smile to hear Lord Haldane's administration described as a failure. The new system had given greatly increased efficiency at a reduced cost, and that fact should bo recognised When Lord Haldane took oflice, stated the correspondent, Britain had not been in a position to despatch abroad more than three divisions of regulars complete in all respects. Behind the regulars there had been no force upon which the Army could count to replenish losses. The volunteers had been without guns, engineers, transport and medicall services, and, with the exception of the Field Army Brigades, had been fit for nothing but the passive defence of fortified positions. By transferrin cr money from services which were snpei* fluous to those which were necessary. Britain -had been able to "double the hitting power of the first line." 'Tn place of the volunteer chaos," wrote the correspondent, "we have an organised force in the second line of real value in time of emergency, and. had public feelnig been less irresolute and less easilv led astray by people incapable of constructive policy, we might very easily have added largely to the numbers of this second line Never nt any modern pi'iiod of our history were we more formidable as a military Power than we are to-day. We ha've (he first Army created by soldiers that the country has ever possessed since the Middle Age's, and we have every reason to lie proud of it cavil as politicians may." The critic added that Mr. Bonar Law was absolute-

ly wrong in saying that the British soldiers were armed with inferior weapons. Technical comparisons showed that Britain was thoroughly up-to-date as far as her rifles and guns were concerned.