STARTLING STATEMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3179, 3 May 1909, Page 5

STARTLING STATEMENTS.

By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 1. Some rather startling statements regarding New Zealand's defences are contained in a series of articles which are being published by the "Herald." The writer opens by asking the question:—"What would happen to New Zealand if the British navy were defeated?" and he answers as follows:—"The. answer is obvious to everyone who knows anything f about the present state of our defences and defence forces, but for the benefit of the uninformed it may be stated that should New Zealand not at once put her house in order, it is possible for her to become an easy prey to a foreign Power. Of this there can be no doubt, and when the general public comes to learn the real truth about our defences and defence forces, it will, be seen that not only has New Zealand at the present time not the slightest possible chance of repelling an organised invasion, but also that without timely assistance she could not hope even to cope with a decently conducted raid, and this notwithstanding that tp... beat off a surprise attack has been the defence policy of New Zsaland for many years." The enrolled strength of the New Zealand defence forces, according to the last repurt of the Defence Council, gives, at the first glance, the somewhat respectable force of nearly 20,000 officers and men, but once an analysis is commenced, it proves in its actual fighting capacity to be but a phantom army. In the first place, neither the field ambulance, the hands (which are also trained in ambulance work), nor the medi-

cal and veterinary staffs—totalling 841—can be placed in the firing ing force available, the 3,158 defence cadets must be deducted from the already reduced force of 19,106, which leaves 15,94.8 officers and men available, but in this reduced force is included a still weaker army than the defence cadets—viz., the rifle clubs, whose membership is set down at 3,369. When the membership of these clubs has been deducted from the force of 20,000 officers ajnd'vnaen which we have on paper, it has dwindled down to actual fighting strength of 12,579. But still it dwindles. Before being sent away on active service, soldiers are subjected to a further medical test, which generally results in from 10 to 25 per cent, being; rejected. Taking th« lowest percentage a a a basis, we find that the actual fighting sfrrengtth of our defence forces has further shrunk to 11,322. Of this number, some 1,200, comprising the permanent force and garrison artillery company, would be told off in tima of war to man the forts, while the balance, numbering slightly over 10,000, would be left for operations in'the field. ■ Some officers say that a well equipped raiding force of 5,000 regulars could march without difficulty right through the country, while others declare that to send our present forces 'trained' and 'equipped' aa they are. against regulars numerically utrong, wmh] be nothing short or murder." The public would at least espact the guns mounted in the forls to bo in Ijratorder, but it is rumoured are not, many of them suturing eonsiderably from wear, and their "effectiveness." such as it is, has thus been considerably impaired. Further it is rumoured that all the big gun ammunition at present in Auckland could be blown up in a week.