A CITIZEN ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 316, 1 October 1908, Page 7

A CITIZEN ARMY.

THE COMMONWEALTH DEFENCE BILL, A CENERAL LIABILITY. NATIONAL GUARD: EIGHTEEN DAYS' TRAINING. (bj TttECEira—mess association—cormsiiT.) Melbourne, September 30. 11l tlio Federal Houso of Representatives, Mr. Effing, Defence Minister, introdnced tlio Defence Bill, the main features of which are: — Every male citizen in Australia ,of the ages of 12 to 26 is to bo called upon to undergo military training in a force to bo known as the National Guard; from 12 to 18 years in the cadets, from 18 to 26 in the Defence Force. Tho Act also empowers the GovernorGeneral to call upon all persons liable to serve in the roserve forces, which includes all capable of serving in time of war, up to the ago of 60, who are not included in the active defence forces. Tho National Guard is to undergo eighteen days' training annually. A penalty of £100 is provided, to be imposed on employers preventing their employees ■ frora serving. There are also penalties for any citizen who fails to comply with the provisions of the Act. The debate was adjourned. COMPARISON WITH SWISS MODEL. If the annual eighteen-days mentioned in the cablegram is the limit of the National Guards' training:, it does not compare very well with tho Swiss model. According to an Australian writer, the Swiss requirement is as follows;— In the-"Elite" (21--32 years of age): ■ Recruits' course 65 days. Seven annual trainings 77 „ Five inspections of arms 5 „ ' Total for "Elite" 147 „ In the "Landwehr" (33-40 years of age): One annual training 11 „ Seven inspections of arms 7 „ Total for "Landwehr" 18 „ In the "Landsturm" (41-48. years of age):' Eight inspections of arms 8 „ Concerning the penalty on employers, it is noteworthy that the poorness of musters at the recent camp of Britain's Territorial Force was largely attributed to the attitude of somo employers.