DEFENCE NOTES

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 211, 30 May 1908, Page 9

DEFENCE NOTES

(Bt Ecuelok.)

PRACTICAL PATRIOTISM,

, . In connection with tho organisation of the 0 new British Territorial Army it is interest:l mg to'noto that a number of largo employers 1 of labour hare agreed to support tho move- . menfc in a way which employers inthis coun--1 try might vory well reflect upon, and on--0 deavour to emulate. Although there is no t Territorial Army in Now Zealand, thero is, 9 nevertheless, an organisation for purposes of :1 defence, tho controlling authorities of which . -havo every right to cxpcct from employers s of labour that practical sympathy and support which must materially popularise and strengthen it. Here aro a few instances of J what is being dono at Home:— Tho directors of the Royal Insurance Company (Limited) havo intimated that all mem--5 hers of tho stall joining tho new forco will ■ bo granted additional annual leave for tho 1 purnoso of camp training. : Messrs. Mackio and Co., distillers, Islay, 1 Glasgow and London, have notified that all their employees who may wish to servo in " tho Territorial Army will bo granted their '• full pay while absent during their annual : training, and in addition havo their yearly 1 holidays with pay as well.Messrs. James and Alexander Allan, of tho Allan Lino of steamers, havo stated that ' they are prepared to extend similar conJ cessions to their employees. ; Messrs. Bass and Co. have informed their employees that they will give all possible facii lities to the latter to join the Territorial i Forco and fulfil tho conditions of efficiency, i No one, they stato, suffer any disability I in':his employment through connection with • tho force, but,' in fact, preference will be ; given •to a Territorial soldier when possible. ) Tho Company will also give each man snp- • porting a household 2s. 6d. in order to raise > the pay to the samo rato as formerly allowed ; to volunteers attending camp. They appeal ■ to all elisiblo to join the Forco. I- Tho Williams Typewriter Company is anothor firm which has earned public congratu- ■ lation for its practical support of "the new movement. 8.-P.'s SCOUTS. "A PAPER FOR BOYS "WHO ARE KEEN ON THEIR COUNTRY.? In tho days of ultra-sensational boys' papers, crammed with melodrifma and shrieking impossibilities, tho new boys' weekly,, '"i'ho bcout," comes as a relief, writes tho London "Standard." It is interesting for several "reasons outside the merits of the paper itself, for it has a history and a definite main purpose. It is tho' first boys' paper with an Imperial aim as oue of its keynotos. It is, says its founder, Lieut.General Baden-l J owell, "tho paper for ;ill boys who are kcon on their country." General Badeai-Powell instituted his scheme of " Scouting" for boys. With the aid of all sorts of trailing and tracking games/ of_ all the " Fonimore Cooper" kind of things that havo a strong fascination for properly • constituted boys, tho defender of Mafeking set v out to make the boys'of today alort and reliant,' to put them on; tho right road to becoming tho right sort of mon—reliant and capable citizens. He had no "goody-goocly" notions; he desired to rally 'tho youngsters of Britain into cutting "loafing" out of their-'programme of life— into making /the best of themselves, and being able to ueo their wits properly.. He macfc for them, a "scout's law and a scout's oath." He created a proper organisation of patrols, and designed a uniform' for uso if needed, a badgo with the scouts motto, "Be Prepared." His scheme wants no special expense or preparation. It can bo taken up by any worker among boys; it is perfectly applicable to any existing organisations such as the different Boys' Brigades that liave ( dono such good work. To nono of these-is the boy scouts' scheme in any way hostile. Reports of progress camo from all quarters, and aro still coining in.. Tho boy scouts needed an,-official organ, and tho want, has'.been filled' bv-Genoral Badon-Powdll's paper, "Tho Scout,'" which ■ will bp' published weekly, and which is sure to.command'a big following. _ Boys of all t ages will be keenly interested in General Baden-Powell's own articlo; 'How I Started Scouting,'' which tells of his experiences of "peace scouting" in early days. " The Scout" has sot out to provide a good-pennyworth of stirring stories, articles, and pictures—to be tlie■' paper for every toy.' In that it will-succeed. Lord' Roberts has written ' the following note to "8.-P." on his boy scouts:—"Tho tendency of our fellow countrymen to 'look on' is, to my mind, ono of the most disquieting symptoms of tho age. I trust that'your boy scouts will play the game and not 'look v on,' training themselves in their youth to bo ready to i defend their country when they arrive at man's est'atej should- the, need of their services ever arrive." Lieut.-Genoral Bijdcn-Powoll, who last year had a scouting camp for boys on an island oft tho coast,.-is again inviting 30 between the ages of 11 and 18 to-spend a similar'holiday with him this year. All expenses will bo paid, including, fares and food, audi tho General only insists that' they, shall obey the rules of tho camp. Tho Geueral says: "Whether from Eton College, or Elswick Works, or East End slums,' they are all the same to me, so long as they are British lads, willing to work at. scouting, to obey orders cheerily, and to help each othor as much as possible." ' ■ According to tho "Journal of tho Royal Army Medical Corps," Lieutenant J. H. Graham roports that the \3rd Coldstream Guards (Egypt) wero asked to undergo inoculation in tho left flank against enteric and typhoid. The number'who underwent tho operation was 331, of whom only one contracted fever. Out of 3SI, uuinocukted, 14 took fever,, of whom one died. Tho British War Office has jijst placed tho contracts for the new'pattern bayonet which is to be issued to the Forces. A large proportion of the work has been ordered in Sheffield, and will occupy about nine-months. " It. has been notified from the War Office that the service dress of officers of the Ter- . ritorial Forco will be similar to that of officers of the Regular Army, with the addition of the letter "T" in bronze below the collar badge. Details of officers' full dress are still under consideration, but it'is-.ex--pectfed that they will be issued shortly. The Wellihgton Garrison Officers' Club acknowledges with thanks another donation .to the Club-library-from Mr. J. Stephens, of the National Bank. The book—"Zulu War, ■ 1879,"- with maps—will bo a valuable acquisition for reference. SOME "DONT'S." Tho ','Haversack" publishes the following list of "dont's" for tho gentlemen in khaki": — I. Don't forget the first duty of a, soldier, is obedience—dinna forget. ' 2. Don't ask tho reason when you get an order —do it. ■ 3. Don't talk hack to your superiors in rank —swallow it. 4. Don't talk in the ranks at attention— . ring off. 5. Don't lio in after - rcveillo sounds — hustlo out. 6. Don't start to dress for parado when tho fall-in sounds—be ready. .. 7. Don't hang your clothes or accoutre- : monts on tho floor—bo tidy. - ' ' 8. Don't try to play on your tent matesdo your work. J 9. .Don't fail to mako it sultry for a i waster in tho tent —deal it out. 10. 'Don't mako an oneroy of the cook—' j bad tactics. r . * ' - 11. Don't forget your chums on guard— 1 bad comradeship. : ' 12. Don't forget tho order of the bath— " Cleanliness, is next to," cto. 13. Don't nurso a grievance—bear ,and forbear—a motto for everybody. 14. Don't look for trouble, camn is too short for that—wink tho other. ~ : 15. Don't fail to keep sweet with the ; Qm.-Sgt.—kidneys, etc. 1 IG. Don't indulge in filthy language—it 4 isn't manly. 1 17. Don't keep too closo to tho Orderly Sgt.—it doesn't pay. ; 18. Don't imbibe unwisely and too well— 5 Oil! what a difference in-the morning. £ 19. Don't forgot previous merry camps— c "Where aro tho boys of tho old brigade?" 1 20. Dou't forgot absent comrades—"Should i< .ftuld acquaintance be forgotP" t