OUR CITIZEN ARMY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 26 August 1914, Page 8

OUR CITIZEN ARMY.

RESOURCES FOR DEFENCE. SOME INTERESTING. FACTS. } Just now, more than at any previous period of our history, it ia of groat interest to consider the general position and the strength of our New Zealand : army. The foundations of the force were laid only about three years ago, ' but by next year the New Zealand Ter- 1 ritorial Force will Jiave reached a- 1 strength of 30,000, the peace establish- i ment fixed by Parliament. After that ) the reserve will commence to fill. When , the scheme for the formation of a N«w : Zealand army ia in full working order, , the total number of men available will ' probably be close on 90,000, as follows: « Territorial Force 30,000 Reserve 20,000 1 General Training Section, under 25 21,000 General Training Section, Re- J _ serve , 14,000 Railway aiyd Post and Telegraph. Corps/ 4,000 Total 89,000 The military forces arc organised Jer. war into a field army and its reserves,; coast, defence troops, and l;nes-of-oo®» munication troops. Roughly, the requirements of the war organisation are reck j oned to be:— . J Officers. Others. * Field Army 1444 09,551 Coast defence troops Ml 4,M8 Communication and others 200 3,000 Totals 1491 36,719 As near as can be estimated, 8309 riding horses, 9239 draught horses, and. 102!) pack horses would be required on mobilisation. The return shows that there are 400,000 horses in New Zealand, of which about 40,000 are fit for riding purposes, and 10,000. for draught and gun work. A list of suitable vehicles with horses is kept in each district, j and these may be taken under l'equisiJ. tion. | The field artillery is completely equip- | ped with modern IS-pr. field guns and I 4.oia howitzers. The latest type of gun has been ordered for the mountain battery. The infantry is armed -with the ■ Lee-Enfield rifle. There are aufiiciens rifles and carbines tj arm the Territorial Force and its reserves, and with few exception? the cadets are armed with the same type of rifle as the citizen force!. Mounted rifle regiments and infantry battalions are equipped with machine guns and pack transport for the same. The ..reserve of gun ammunition is complete for coast defence guns in accordance with the recommendations of ■ the Oversea Defence Committee. For field guns the reserve is probably complete by now. \ There is sufficient war ■ reserve of smalD&rm ammunition for the i field army. This class of ammunition . is made in the country, and the factory ! at Auckland is capable of doubling the ordinary output:—Dominion.