H.—l9b

11

Page 39. 73. Great saving to be, effected under system of reduced training-period, in New Zealand. Vide 65. Page 37. Vide 104. Page 54. Page 39. 74. There is not sufficient knowledge in New Zealand of training in the United Kingdom and France. Officers in, charge of training should be sent abroad. The total number of officers on the Training Staff who have not seen service in the present war is nine. The work on which these officers arc employed is of an elementary nature, the principles and methods of which have been unaffected by the war. There are probably few recruit-instructors, if any, of the armies of the world more capable than those of the training-camps of New Zealand. Of the nine, only three are fit and eligible for service. One of these three officers has already been to the United Kingdom, and was specially returned to New Zealand to carry out instructional work. One belongs to Class C of the Second Division, and the third is on loan from the Imperial Army. All vacancies in the Training Staff since the early period of the war have been filled by returned officers only. Page 39. 75. Much could be learned from American methods of mobilization and administration. Officers —-e.g., ('amp Commandants — might be sent, to America. The suggestion to send the Camp Commandants is not considered practicable. It must not bo forgotten that America has had to obtain the services of British officers to assist in the instruction- of her troops. Page 40. 70. Camp interchange of troops carried, on without, reason, involving large expenditure, direct and indirect. Vide 79, 80, 81. Page 40. Page 40. 77. Purchase of site and establishment of a rifle range at Featherston. A rifle range can always be constructed at Featherston when necessary, but it is not considered that the expense would be warranted in war-time when Trentham ranges are available. At present the after-war organization is not yet approved, and unless and until it has been decided that Featherston Camp is to be continued after the war for the Territorial Force use a range is not justified. Page 40. 78. The distance of a, rifle range from a camp is nothing when training for war. The opinion put forward that in "training actually for war" the distance of the rifle range is immaterial cannot be agreed to. This is purely a training question, on which the Military authorities are probably more capable of forming a correct judgment. Marching to and from a range is time wasted. A range five miles distant means ten miles marching —a minimum of three hours lost for each day's shooting. Page 40. 79. Medical, authorities refuse to endorse inter-camp moves. Recruits must be segregated at Tauherenikau Camp for a month after mobilization by order of the Medical authorities. There must, therefore, of necessity be a move into and out of that camp. Drafts are mobilized at Trentham, and are then moved to Tauherenikau. The reason for this is that the Infantry are embarked from Trentham, and it simplifies the accounting for equipment, clothing, &c, if the camp which issued on mobilization also writes off on embarkation. Page 40. 80. Better organization -would overcome the necessity for inter-camp.moves. The organization is designed to deal with the moves efficiently. Men learn to look after themselves when moving; it is a part of their training. There are many reasons in favour of the present system, which works as a normal routine. Page 40. 8,1. Inter-camp moves involve the employment of at, least fifty, -possibly a hundred, -men in administrative -work. It is an exaggeration to say that fifty to a hundred men could be cut out from the camp staff if inter-camp moves were possible to be abolished —five to ten would be a more probable number. Page 40. 82. Staff of camps very large. Vide 128. 'Page 04. Page 40. 82a. Thirty-four of the officers of the camp staff have not had present-war service. Only nine of the thirty-four belong to the Training Staff (vide Note 74). On the Administrative Staff fifteen have had present-war service and twenty-five have not. Several of the latter have cither proceeded to the front since the sitting of the Royal Commission or arc under orders at present. Of the remainder, none are liable for service under the Military Service Act; they are either unfit or above the age-limit. These officers have already done, or are doing, excellent work. They have acquired great experience in their