OUR DEFENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 76, 19 August 1914, Page 4

OUR DEFENCES.

DUTIES AT HOME AND ABROAD. A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. al- a * .-Wellington,' Tuesday. T.Jr 1- i VM,w<;ie3 itl the ranks of Ufc of thu Expeditionary Force, the Hon. Jw. A,fen iMinirtcr for Deface) : that « s far us necessary men wens beta" taken from the Genial TmininV&S tion. I am not sure," ha added, "Lihat at present it is necessary to fill up all- ' the vaeane.es. The-rifle dub,s arc drM!-. E5 a T nd rt *P? u| W r°* er !ine of **«»,,■ and I think we have an ample supply , contin«e"" ng (M^^ "It is urgent >' he went on to say, that the people who remain in Nc ; v Zealand should carry on the industries of the Dominion. Wc are very anxious that our young people should .help us through the crisis in this, difficulty and assist in keeping up the supply of produce, hoMi by wjiy of import, -which means Customs .revenue, <md tlic «upnlv of produce for Home consumption Wc hopo that the places of those who are going away, will be filled by others who are capafcio of carrying on their work and any young man who is quick nt learning would confer a benefit on his country by engaging in country-work." TEN TRANSPORTS FOR Tfiß FORGE. The mvin Expeditionary Force ho added', would he sent away in ten transports. I hey would not go from the same port, but would rendezvous nt a given place, and' would duly leave when the order came from !t!he Admiralty The Ministar said lie hoped Vo* be' able to get sufficient.time to visit the various concentration camps. The Commandant had' left) that dav for Auckland, but it wis impossible for him (the Minister) <to accompany himi He hoped however, (before the tuoops left, to pay a visit to the camps.. The Expeditionary Force would leave New Zealand at the end of this month. \ A QUICK MOBILISATION. "I would like," added the- Minister, to express my appreciation of the manner in which the advance force was mobilised and sent away. As a matter of fact, they -were mobilised some days 'before they were able to go, but that was not their fault. JVe had them ready and in an exceptionally shorn ■ tame. It is undoubtedly t-. ths credit of the Defence Department thai; tlht force was so quickly mobilised, and it is s. lull exposition of the peifection of tho defence scheme that we had the. men ready to go at such short notice It is also to tllfe credit of tfie women of hew Zealand that Qiey provided the troops with so mianv luxuries and necessities. They worked dnv rail night to achieve tint'end. and tfcey arc to bo highly congratulated. I consider that tiie whole opcratirn is a full justification of our systrn of Terrj eorial defence."