DOMINION DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1921, Page 6

DOMINION DEFENCE.

NEW MILITARY DISTRICTS. Important changes in the organisation and designation of the military districts of the Dominion have been decided upon by the Defence authorities. From February 1 next the four military districts in the Dominion (Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago) will be reduced to three, and designed as under: — Northern Mjntary District, Comprising the area at present included in the Auckland districts. —Headquarters, Auckland. Central Military District, comprising the area included in the Wellington district. —Headquarters, Palmerston North. (Southern Military District, comprising the whole of the South Island.—Headquarters, Christchurch (temporarily).

It will be seen that under the new organisation the separate Canterbury and Otago military districts have been abolished. The new districts are arranged on the basis of population, and the number of troops to be furnished from each district for the new organisation will be announced later together with details of new boundaries of groups and areas. The existing organisation of four military districts has no relation whatever to the organisation of a modern field army, the unit of which is the division. Apparently the four-district system was created with the idea of having four defended ports, each representing the headquarters of the district, and having a certain number of troops near at hand for defensive purposes. Under this system, however, if it were found necessary as time went on to take measures for the defence of other ports the result would be that fresh districts would have to be created, each containing local troops, but with no organisation suitable to modern requirements. The new departure decided upon really means that the Defence force of the Dominion will be organised on a divisional basis, each of the three new districts representing a brigade area, there being three brigades to a division. New Zealand will now be enabled to have one complete division of three brigades, and the organisation will be such that the division will be capable of expanding into two divisions in the event of war.

It understood that the reorganisation will enable a considerable reduction to be made in the number of group areas iji the Dominion. During the war there were 21 groups in the country, each with an office and staff. During the last year the number of groups was cut down, but when the new scheme is in operation it will be possible to effect a further reduction to twelve groups. There will be four groups in each disirici» each grquo beinjz a battalion area.