THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1907. OUR VOLUNTEERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8516, 22 August 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 1907. OUR VOLUNTEERS.

The recent report of the Council of Defence, and of the InspectorGeneral of the Defence Forces, discloses that there is much to be desired in the way of national defence. The volunteer forces are expensive, and moreover, they are inadequate. To whatever extent the volunteers may be efficient it is clear that the movement only comprises a very limited number of those who are capable of bearing arms. The volunteers are enthusiastic, capable, and have developed wonderfully in view of the fact that for many years in the past the Defence Department was not well administered, but the present system is not tending to bring about the state of affairs that should exist in this country, namely, that of a nation in arms. The present defence system is, practically, useless, and it is expensive. A radical change is necessary, and the new system that should be adopted must, above all things, in order to be adequate, be inexpensive, and far reaching in its influence. Compulsory and, practically, universal training in the defence of country, upon some such plan as the National Defence League advocates, would, we are confident, prove an inestimable blessing to New Zealand in several important respects. But to revert to the Inspector-General's report. Colonel Davies remarks that he wishes to make it quite clear that he is sure that the spirit which animates all ranks of the Force is excellent. "If it were not so," says the Inspector-General, "they would not be giving up their time willingly and cheerfully to the sacred duty of trying to become fit to protect thencountry, their homes, their mothers, sisters, wives and children while the enormous majority of the able-bodied manhood of the country is merely looking on, and sometimes, I regret

to say, trying to discourage them." The report, also, states that as far as drill and discipline go, the state of things is generally very satisfactory, but something further is required before it can be honestly said that a Force is prepared for war. Without doubt the vital thing is to train the officers to command their troops in the field over any country they may find themselves in," and under any conditions that may arise. To accomplish this they must be instructed in the field, and in daylight. Practical tactics, a knowledge of, and an eye for, country, and the power of making the best military use of all sorts of ground can no more be taught in a drill-hall than swimming can be taught without getting into water. The excellent material of which the Force of this country is composed demands higher training and qualifications in its officers than ordinary, firstly, because the';, rank and file, under existing conditions, can only get a partial training, and I the less training the rank and file have the more training and intelligence the officers must have to cops with the situation; and, secondly, the rank and file being of a much higher standard of intelligence than is usual in Forces, demand higher standard still in th -i officers. ' The standard of intelligence we have, and the training must be got.