LORD KITCHENER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 981, 26 February 1910, Page 5

LORD KITCHENER.

PROPOSED INSPECTION OF j FORTS. DISAPPOINTED MEN. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, February 25. It was the intention of Lord Kitchener, his personal staff, and the members of the Defence Council to embark on the Janie Seddon, this morning, to make a tour of the Harbour Defences, and inspect the forts. In preparation for tne visit some seventy odd members of No. 1 Company, Wellington Division of the New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers, anJ over 40 members of the Electric Light Brigade, assembled at Mahanga Bay on Thursday evening, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Campbell. The men, however, had their trouble for nothing, as the Field Marshal did not make his contemplated inspection, much to the disappointment of the men, who, de-pite the unpropitious weather, had put in a good night's work. The permanent men came to | ; town and proce. deii to the Hutt to I ' render assistance tiere yesterday, the forces returning to the city in . the forenoon by the Janie Seddon. There was a muster of nearly 200 men in all the forts, including 70 at Fort Kelburne, in addition to Colonel Campbell, Staff Officers Majors Courtenay and Menzies, and Lieut. Bevan, wera at Mahanga ' Bay. Captain sommerville had charge | of the No. 1 Company, with Lieuts. j Meredith, Sloman, Denniston and | Watson. The Third Company of the j Government Artillery Volunteers ( was under the command of Captain Hume, with Lieuts. Brown and Ellis. i Major Hume had charge of the j Permanent Forces detachment, and ; had with him Captains Simon and i Meikle and Lieut. Standage. it is j not known at present whether any { inspection of the Forts will now be ! made by Lord Kitchener. I

THE CADET REVIEW. HELD IN HEAVY RAIN. A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT. BARE-FOOTED CADETS. By Telegraph —Press Association. ) WELLINGTON, February 25. "I want to tell you, Lord Kitchener asked me to say that he was much impressed and delighted with what he saw to-day. He was very pleased with the fine lot of boys, and what excellent material they "form for the Defence Forces of the colony." It was with these words that Major McDonald, the Officer Commanding the Cadets in camp at Hutt Park, addressed the battalion officers at the close of Lord Kitchener's inspection this afternoon. It was praise well merited. The noys had gone through a very trying ordeal, and they acquitted themselves 1 excellently und-jr conditions which' few Cadet battalions are asked to undergo for review purposes. Prior to the inspection by the Field Marshal there was a veritable deluge. Rain set in overnight, and a heavy, misty rain hung over the camp all the morning. By noon it had grown worse, and by three o'clock, just as the lads marshalled out on the broad . green field, a heavier shower still came down, as though by way of greeting to the distinguished commander. They seemed determined that not even water should interfere with their efforts to Le seen at their best. Here and there a lad tripped, but he was soon up again with his fellows. The dense crowd in the grandstand applauded enthusiastically as each battabon swept past. There were fourteen battalions, comprising 3,800 Cadets (Defence and School). Lord Kitchener, accompanied by the Prime Minister and all the Cabinet Ministers at present in town, reached the Park at 3.30 p.m. The boys were all ready for him, and the Field Marshal immediately got to businese, skipping a few small lakes on his way to the reveiw ground. The Garrison Band played a se'ection of welcome, and the spectators cheered heartily. The tact that some uf the battalions paraded in bare feet did not detract from their generally smart appearance. In fact, it gave rather an air of novelty to the proceedings. t The Field Marshal sprang a surprise on the boys, instead of ordering them to march past in the usual review style at the ordinary parade walk, the Cadets came along at a smart run. He had firat of all gone through the lines, and made an inspection, giving occasionally a word of encouragement. The boys were right on their mettle, and most of them were soaked through, but they relished the work. The parade state showed the staff, 5, Senior Cadets 462, Junior Cadets 3,308. The battalions were made up as follows:—Defence Cadets, under Captain Foot, 8 officers, and 154 rank and file; No. 1 Battalion, Wanganui, 18 officers, and 345 rank and file, under Major McLean; No. 2 Battalion, Wanganui, IS officers and 273 rank and file, under Major Aitken; No. 3 Battalion, Wanganui, ; 10 officers and 224 rank and file, under Major Adams; No. 4 Battalion, Wanganui, 12 officers and 198 men, under Major Strack; No. 1 Battalion, Taranaki, 13 officers, and 123 rank and file, under Major Stratford; No. 1 Battalion, Wellington, 10 officers, and 454 rank and file, under, Major Rempleman; No. 2 Bat- l talion, Wellington, officers 10, and 380 rank and file, under Major McKenzie; No. 3 Battalion, Wellington, 12 officers and 345 rank and file, under Major Burlinson; No. z Battalion. Hawke's Bay, 16 officers and 253 rank and file, under Lieut.-Col. Stevenson; Boy Scouts, 11 officers, and 204 rank and file, under Lieut. - Commander McLeod. The Wellington College Cadets were in charge of Major Matheson, and those from Nelson College in charge of Captain Moyes.

KITCHENER ENTERTAINED. AN IMPORTANT SPEECH. WELLINGTON, February 25. Lord Kitchener was entertanied at a dinner to-night by the Government at the Grand Hotel. Among those present were Lord Plunket, members of

I the Ministry, Hon. A. R. Guinness (Speaker of the House of RepresentaI tvies), and several members of both branches of the Legislature. In his speech Lord Kitchener remarked : "By the Bill which has recently been passed, compulsory training has b?en introduced, but it must be remembered that though in this way the foundation has been laid it requires to be supplemented by a thoroughly sound organisation and military system, in order to produce the best results, and to obtain efficiency in the most economical and satisfactory manner. My recent memorandum to the Government cf Australia o<i the defence of the Commonwealth has now been published, and although there are naturally consider- , able differences between the conditions of the islands forming the Dominion of New Zealand and the Continent of Australia, the main principles of that memorandum will in my opinion apply to the problem before us of maintaining efficient land defences concerning which you have asked my advice. The first necessity in all military organisations is a thorough grounding for the officers and men in the fundamental work of their profession. The c.ira • pulsory training laid down in the Bill will not bring this about unless a willing, zealous spirit exists amon<? the men themselves, who should in ! the pursuance of their duty to be- ! come efficient defenders of th?ir country, prepare themselves for tha compulsory work in camp by constant and cheerful training in their homi •«. This necessitates the country placing competent instructors in close proximity to where the men live, so that every opportunity should be fu.ly utilised to impart at home thorough instruction in company and battalion training. I would impress upon you the first importance of providing efficiently trained and disciplined fighting men for whom the departmental service of an army exist. These services, which include supply, transport, medical arrangements, munitions of war, etc., are of unpoubtedly great importance, and must eventually be organised and provided in proportion to the requirements of the combatant forces maintained, but vastly important as they become when you have your trained fighting | man, you must remember that they are subsidiary. You will find that a sound military organisation cannot be quickly created out of what now exists, and consequently there will be a period of change from the old system, which has been found wanting, to whatever new system may be adopted. It is difficult, and in my opinion not desirable, to lay down any precise rules for this period of transition, for to do so might, and probably would, prove a source of embarrassment {to the men who have actually to carry out the work with such means as may be at their hand. For this reasos it seems to me that during this period special {attention should be paid to those essentials which are necessary to produce in course of time an efficient well equipped fighting force. When that is done then minor matters which may seem of momentary importance will be seen in their true perspective, and can be adopted to the general organisation in a satisfactory manner."