THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8237, 15 September 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1906.

At the time of the Boer War the Australasian colonies were able to send to South Africa a considerable force of efficient mounted men, the great majority of whom hail had no previous military training. It was proved then that a man physically flit could be converted into a serviceable soldier in two or three months. An interesting exDerJment that has been conducted in the Old Country has shown that the same sort of thing can be done without the war pressure, and that if ordinary intelligence is brought to bear on the training, a body of average recruits can be made thoroughly efficient in less than half a year. This was the contention of Colonel Pollook, who established a Volunteer company six months ago, with the objeot of proving the validity of

his claim. The mouey for the experiment, which was reported in a eable message on Thursday to have reached its successful close, was provided by the SSpeotator. Colonel Pollock took the raw recruits in hand immediately, and aimed first at getting them physically fit. By the eud of four months they were submitted to rather severe teats, and came through excellently. Importing a "field day" in July, the Daily Mail said that the men were smart and intelligent. "The tactical manoeuvres," we are told, "wereateft that could certainly not be applied to recruits of four months'standing in any army, and were a complete vindication of the contention of (Jolouel Pollock and Mr Straohey. The scheme, involving a frontal and a flank attack, was carried out with remarkable skill and intelligence. The men advanced with the precision of veterans, making the best use of their ground and preserving exoellont fire discipline, under the command of lance-corporals whose training is is that of the men themselves. The ranges were given with a fair degree of accuracy, and the signallers, who have hitherto not performed their task in actual operations, acquitted themselves with credit." The men, too, have made first-class progress in musketry, and, although the experiment was uot completed, the experts were agreed that it would be a great success. Colonel Pollock's belief is tbat if the State would give its young meu a thorough training for six months, it would have a fighting force equal to any in the world, and except for the matter of physical training, a week's drill in each year would be sufficient to keep the citizen army from deteriorating into helplessness again.