I&—19

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(b.) The distinction of Colonel-in-Chief has been accepted by the following :— f .C. Field Marshal the Right Hon. Frederick Sleigh,"Earl Roberts, K.G., K.P., G.C.8., 0.M., G.C.5.1., G.C.1.E., v.d., of the regiment of Royal New Zealand Artillery and the New Zealand Artillery. Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Viscount Kitchener, of Khartoum, K.P., G.C.8., 0.M., G.C.5.1., G.C.M.G., G.C.1.E., of the corps of New Zealand Engineers, (c.) The distinction of Honorary Colonel has been accepted by the following : — Lieut.-General Sir Herbert Charles Onslow Plumer, X.C.8., of the 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles. Sir William Russell Russell, of the 9th Regiment (Wellington East Coast Rifles). (d.) Approval has been obtained for the affiliation of the senior regiment of Mounted Rifles in each district to " King Edward's Horse (The King's Oversea Dominions Regiment)." 37. Next Year's Training. The experience gained during the past year shows that in this, as in all other countries in the world, the late autumn is, as a rule, the most suitable time for holding the annual camps, which should be the climax of the training season. Considerable latitude was given to commanding officers in choosing the dates of their camps, as it was realized that we were of necessity in an experimental stage, and that we must gain our experience in that way. The advantages of holding the camps during the late autumn are that the harvest is over, the milking season is drawing near its slackest time, the end of the financial year has been passed, and the greatest part of the military year has been available for putting in the required number of drills and parades which, in a proper scheme of progressive training, must all precede the annual -camp. The only disadvantage is that the days are shorter and the weather probably colder and wetter than in the summer, but this is a disadvantage common to autumn camps and manoeuvres in all countries, and cannot be helped. May is, however, the latest month in which camps can be held. After that, not only does it become too cold and wet, but it is not possible to further postpone the posting and beginning of the training of the quota of recruits for the following year. Arrangements will therefore probably be made for next year's Artillery, Engineers, and Infantry camps to be held during March and April, and for the Mounted camps in April and May, the latter being put last because they contain the largest proportion of men engaged in the farming and dairying industries. Should the harvest be early, it may be possible to hold them earlier. Brigade camps will be held, economy of money and instruction and increased efficiency being thereby attained, while at the same time opportunity will be afforded to the brigade commanders to exercise their commands. With this object in view, sites for camps must be selected which will give room for the exercise in open country of considerable bodies of troops. During the past year many of the camp-sites, though admirably suited for the preliminary instruction and recruits' drill which was carried out, afforded little or no opportunity for work in the field. The question of the combined training of all arms must, as far as the camps are concerned, wait till the year 1913-14. The stages of the inception of the new scheme of training must be progressive. In the meantime, during the forthcoming summer months of 1912-13, District Commanders will arrange for combined exercises of the three arms in connection with the carryingout of the requisite number of half-day and whole-day parades. With reference to paragraphs 11 and 23 of this report, it will be a matter for consideration in the future whether it may not be more convenient to employers and farmers, and to those who have to be trained in the Territorial Force, if the number of annual parades and drills were definitely reduced by regulation, and the number of days in camp increased instead. The rates of pay for camp would probably have to be proportionately reduced. This course might enable a portion of the musketry practice of country units to be done during the period of camp, where convenient, and would, I think, result in greater efficiency generally. It is the general experience in the training of citizen troops that it is after the first week that the benefits of the training really begin to show, and there is no question but that much more can be done in camp than at individual parades and drills. The extra expense involved would be met, to a great extent, by the reduction in the travellingexpenses of Instructors, consequent on the diminution of the parades and drills at local drill centres. I propose in the near future to consult employers of labour, farmers, &c, on this subject, and to work out the details as regards expenditure. T shall then be in a position to report to you more definitely on the question. In any case I wish to make it clear that I do not propose to recommend any increase in the amount of training. The suggestion is only that a variation of the scale may be found advisable. Further, I am strongly of opinion that no question of expediency, of difficulties, or of expense, within reasonable limits, should be allowed to prevent the excellent material for soldiers which exists in the country districts from being available for service in Territorial units. Our aim must be to train, in properly organized bodies, an efficient Field Army composed of the best material available, a very different proposition to merely teaching drill and shooting to those young men who can be reached or collected at a minimum of inconvenience and expense. 38. Finance. Owing to the non-arrival of the new field-guns from Home, the money voted on last year's estimates for payment for them has not been expended, and the vote of the Department is therefore considerably underspent.