INTERNAL DEFENCE BILL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13596, 3 December 1909, Page 7

INTERNAL DEFENCE BILL.

INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE

(special to "the press.'') WELLINGTON, December 3. Tho Internal Defence Bill was circulated at 1 o'clock this mcrning. Provision is made for a permanent force, tho members thereof to eerve for eight years. At the expiration of five years such members shall be enrolled on a reserve, and shall _erve th. remaining three years therein, but they may during such three years be called upon to rejoin the permanent force for duty. Every member of the permanent force may obtain his discharge at any time (except during actual service) during the first three years on payment of £10, and at any time during the next two years on payment of £5, j and after five years without payment. | Every member obtaining his discharge by payment shall be enrolled on the reservo list, and shall be liable to be called on at any time to re-join the forco for duty during the remainder of the eight years. Power is given for the raising of a territorial force to serve in tlio Dominion only, except at the request of the members of the force, who at their own request may serve outside the Dominion. The present volunteer corps shall cease to exist. All males between the ages of 17 and oo are liable to servo in the militia. Part 6 of the Bill relates to universal obligation to be trained. AU male inhabitants resident for six months, are liable to be trained as follows: —(a) From twelve years to fourteen years of age, or to the date of leaving school, whichever is the later, in the junior cadets; (b) from fourteen years of age, or the date of leaving school, as the case may be, to eighteen years of age in the senior cadets, and (c) from eighteen years to twenty-one years of age. in the general training section, and (d) from twenty-one years to thirty years of age, in the reserve. The Government may appoint a commandant of junior cadets. Provisions follow regarding the training of cadets. The training in the general training section in the case of those who aro drafted into it from the senior cadets shnll begin from th© date of their being drafted, and in all other CHses shall begin on tho Ist of March in the year in which they attain the age of eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years It shall, in the case of each person, continue until he is drafted into the Teserve. The prescribed training in th© general training section shall in each year be fourteen days in training camp, and twelve half days, except in the artillery and engineer branches, in which the training shall be fourteen days in the training camp, and twenty half days, or the equivalent of twenty half days. At the end of each year's training in the general training section, each person shall bo classifiedi either as "efficient" or "non-efficient," and those who aro classified a_ non-efficient shalT be liable to be trained for an addi-, tional year for each year in which they are non-efficient, or to special extra training in the year succeeding .that in which they were non-efficient. Every person who has been classified ag efficient for three years shall bo drafted into the reserve. The prescribed training in the reserve shall consist of two muster parades in each. year. There is provision for pensions and allowances to officers, Maori chiefs, non-commissioned officers and nrivates of the- New Zealand forces who are wounded in action or injured in tho actual performance of military duty whilst on active service.

Subject to any existing contract, the Governor may establish and maintain arms and ammunition factories.