Federal Scheme of Defence

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1138, 5 November 1904, Page 2

Federal Scheme of Defence

Full Particulars

Vmm Auonief.inn.—Copyright. Mbliiouiink, this flavi Tiik Minister of Defence, in submitting the Estimates, unfolded tho new sehemo lor dcfonce of the Commonwealth, Tho changes proposed nro based chiefly on tho Swiss system, nlthouuh noj carried out sa far us it went, lie thought that all aides would a»rcn that the Aum tralian forces were to he citizen loiivs, built army mid navy ulike, Under the Swiss Bjstom, nothing wns left to the permanent forces which could be dirtied out by a citizen soldiery. 'Xlio fl'ivoninpnt proposed to establish ut Council of Defo'co, tho constitution of which would be tho Minister for Defence, Trtasur-r of the Commonwealth. iiispuciot-Uoiturul of Military Forooe, and Navy Diicctoi-in-Chief. Tho general staff of tho military aido would ba rogul .r members of the board. Tluro would also bo consiiltntivo members of two kinds--representatives ot the citizen forces and skiliji) advisers, who would bo called from tiiuu to time. The duties of the Council of Dcfonce would be to discuss questions i:iv;Jvinnr tho defence oxpomlitnro as a who'e, The permanent head of tho 'lepanneu' would'bo the Secretary to the Defence Council, and lliero would bo throe nnlihry members on tho board—clref of llie general staff, deputy adjutant-general, anil chief of the ordnance—mill also a finance member, who would be a member of the Public Service. Tho Nuval l!o ird would be drawn from a small force, and consist of the Minister for Dcfonco and only one naval oflicer, a Director of Naval Forces, a tinanct' member, and consuliativo members' representative of the citizen forces, Tho Inspcctor-Genernl won'd not hold ollieo longer than four years,