7

H.—l9

During the period covered by this report the Territorial Force was passing through a transition stage, and nothing beyond elementary training was possible. The old units which existed before the war carried out the ordinary weekly drills with the limited amount of training equipment on issue, and officers were required to attend a course of instruction in lieu of the annual training-camps. At the present time the scheme of reorganization is being given effect to. Arms and equipment are being issued, and more satisfactory training will now be possible ; but until the annual unit camps are reinstituted it will not be possible to progress beyond elementary training, or to ensure that units are efficient. The designation of the units under the new scheme provides for the retention of the titles of regiments, battalions, and batteries that formed part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the late war. By this means the splendid traditions and great achievements of the N.Z. Expeditionary Force will be handed down to posterity, and associated with the history of Territorial units bearing the titles of those units which earned such a brilliant record during the late war. 2. Cadets. Tho 23,581 Cadets who have boon administered and trained during this period were originally organized into 289 companies, practically all of which were administered, separately. These units are now being formed into battalions in order to simplify administration. It is regretted that owing to the lack of funds it is not possible to put every boy between the ages of fourteen and eighteen through an obligatory course of training, which, since, the introduction of the Senior Cadet system in 1911, has proved so beneficial to the discipline, health, and physique of the youth of this Dominion. The number of boys between the ages of fourteen and eighteen who attained the age for posting to the Senior Cadets this year was 11,381, but of this number only 9,942 were posted to Cadet units, and 1,439 were exempted for various reasons—s2B on account of their residing beyond the radius of an established drill centre. Military statistics show that of the number of boys who annually reach the ago of fourteen, and who should, in accordance with the existing law, undergo training, only about 87 per cent, are actually trained. Under the proposed new scheme of training all those boys who are now exempted would undergo a course of training on reaching the age of eighteen. Cadet training is chiefly confined to physical and recreational exercises in accordance with the system of training carried out in the British Army. Excellent standards of efficiency have been attained by some units, particularly those connected with secondary schools, where attendance is more, regular and progressive instruction more easily carried out than with Cadet units composed of boys who have left school and whose regular attendance at parades is interrupted by their civil occupation or night-school classes. The cost of training, clothing, and equipping of the. Cadet Force has, in common with all other expenditure, increased considerably. The cost of clothing each Cadet in 1913 was £1. 9s. Id., whereas it now costs £2 4s. 9d., an increase of 53-86 per cent. 3. Musketry and Encouragement of Rifle Shooting. The following is a return of all ranks who during the year under review have undergone the annual course of musketry : — Number who Number who fired. qualified. Territorial Force .. .. .. .. .. 15,086 12,600 Cadets .. .. .. .. .. .. 22,029 17.769 (a.) Territorial Force and Cad,et,s. Some difficulty has been experienced during the past year in carrying out proper musketry courses owing to the reorganization and rearming of units interfering with training. Now that reorganization has been completed, and better facilities given for carrying out practical musketry training, the shooting efficiency of the Forces should greatly improve. In the interests of economy and efficiency the policy in regard to the number of rifle ranges to be maintained by the Defence Department has been revised, and it has been decided that the following ranges shall be provided, viz. : — At each secondary school and at each drill centre —One 30-yards range. In each area —Field firing range up to 600 yards. At Trentham Camp —Field firing range up to 1,000 yards. Cadets under seventeen years of age will fire annually 150 rounds of -22 ammunition on a miniature range. Cadets over seventeen and soldiers of the Territorial Force to fire 150 rounds -303 ammunition from service rifles. An annual rifle meeting will be held in each of the thirty areas in the Dominion, at which all members of the Forces in their respective areas will be eligible to compete for prizes. An annual rifle meeting will be held in each of the three commands, at which all members of the Forces in their respective commands will be eligible to compete for prizes. A Dominion meeting for the Naval and Military Forces will be held at Trentham annually. At this meeting only those who have been selected on account of their skill and proficiency in the use of the rifle or machine gun at area and command meetings will be eligible to compete. The programmes for these meetings will be compiled with a view to embodying the lessons of the Great War, and will include —(i) Competitions for Lewis guns ; (ii) competitions for machine guns ; (iii) handling of small fire units in elementary tactical exercises ; (iv) observation and direction of fire ; in addition to individual competitions in accurate fire at service targets, snap-shooting, &c. Only service weapons with which the troops would be armed in war will be permitted at these meetings. These area, command, and Dominion rifle meetings will be held for the purpose of encouraging and further developing service shooting in accordance with the requirements of modern war.