CAMPS VERSUS DRILLS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 84, 15 May 1914, Page 6

CAMPS VERSUS DRILLS.

FOR RURAL TERRITORIALS. CITY YOUTHS WHO ESCAPE. From Our Special- Corrisponilent. WELLINGTON, May 14. The proposal to substitute camptraining for weekly parades and drills, in the case of back-blocks Territorials, andi to establish permanent camps instead; of temporary ones, is the subject of a number of military opinions published in to-day's << Evening Post." Without exception, these support the proposal, not only for •the reasons Outlined in Tuesday's SUN, but on other grounds. -The opinions were gathered from officers who took part .in the Takapau divisional camp and necessarily are anonymous. It has, of course, never been contemplated that the back-blockers should be dropped from the compulsory training scheme. Some of the very best soldiering material, particularly for mounted work, is found on the frontiers of civilisation. What is contended is that the same material can be better, utilised, and more cheaply, by camp-training instead of by. & peripatetic system under w;hich driH i n " structors try to pursue small knots pf men in the remote out-districts. Expert Endorsement. "An officer of high standing at the Takapau encampment" endorsed the proposal very emphatically. In THE SUN on Tuesday it was stated that while a costly and imperfect effort was .being inade. to train . the. back-blockers, many youths in the cities, and therefore easily accessible, were left untrained; arid the System was described, as being far from universal. The officer interviewed states the position in still more positive terms. "New Zealand, in the first place," he declared, ' i set but to ; establish a system of uni-:. ! versal training; brit we 'have not got that by any means. Only half the men who are liable to serve, or little more than half, are being trained at present, and the result is th^t'general friction exists owing to some men being required'to serve, while others are not." The restriction of regular drilling to the towns and to places conveniently reached from provincial centres and railways would do two things. It would render possible the utilisatiori of all material within the closely settled area, and would remove a cause of discontent. And camp-training would do the rest. The Question of Cost.

So far, 110 objection to the plan appears to liave been raised on military grounds. But it mav be found* that some authorities are. not disposed - to admit that the expected saving in cost will be secured. The officer already referred to is, however, positive on this point. "If," he says, "permanent camps are substituted .for country Territorials in place of regular drills and changing camps, there can be little doubt that the economies effected will be very substantial, while more men can also be trained. In the cost of transport, the provision of water sjipply, and the upkeep of arms, greatcoats, and tents alone the saving in permanent camps would be immense, but this would not be all. The present costly system of seeding sergeantmajors to drill small numbers of men in isolated places would be dispensed with, and for infinitely less cost the same men would receive better, training in permanent camps.'' • : Adverse criticism will probably take the line that camp-time lias to be paid for, and that regular drilling-time is given, by the trainees, free. Advocates of tjio reform reply that the saving in administration expenses, owing to the concentration of effort, will far more than counter-balance the increase in camp-pay. 1 Coiiveniencing the Country.

In fact, another officer interviewed, "a country infantry officer," suggests that pastoral interests-, could be so convenienced by the camp-training system that employers might be willing to pay wages for time in camp. "Many sheepfarmers, '' he says, < 'have told me that when the sheep work is over in the winter they would be willing to allow their men to get away for two months' military training and to go 011 paying their wages.'' He advocates permanent camps, to be located so as to serve the biggest possible districts with due regard to'railage arid natural conditions. By the erection of buildings the camps could be made rhuch more habitable in winter than any canvas-town could be.

Camping in the wet on the Takapau principle means that the country does not get full value for the" money. The main object of a big divisional camp like this is to enable the three arms (infantry, niounteds, and artillery), to co-operate. On only one day did the three arms at Takapau co-operate in the lield. Health was risked without commensurate return. It is admitted that the units were not sufficiently trained for proper (co operation in the field. While this is 110 reflection on a young system, it is advanced as an argument for the smaller pnd less costly camp 011 the regimental or brigade basis.

The,published opinions of the officers show that the reform advocated is not unsupported by eminent expert opinion. Possibly a verdict may be pronounced by , the biggest expert of all, the Inspector-General, Sir lan Hamilton. E. V. HALL.