LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 12

LEGION OF FRONTIERSMEN.

NOT WANTED IN NEW ZEALAND

An. unsuccessful attompt lias been mado to form a command of the Legion of Frontiersmen in New Zealand. Captain H. Herbert Noyes, commissioner for the legion, who has been in the Dominion for the past two years, has been trying to got the Government to allow him to form local commands, but permission has been refused. In conversation with a Dominion representative, Captain Noyes said that the majority of the members of 'the legion had seen service in different parts of the world., The legion was officially recognised by the War Office, and in the event of war it would bo utilised and paid at the same rate as that given for colonial troops. Tho Government, in refusing to recognise the command, intimated that tho Defence Council did not think that the legion, was required in New Zealand. Why New Zealand should be the only country not to require its services ho did not know, but it had been welcomed in all tho other States and colonies. Tho reporter. then put tho obviously important question: If formed here, would tho legion bo under the Government and obey tho Defence Council ? No, replied Captain Noyes, tho Defenco Council would not bo obeyed cxcept in timo of war or at encampments. The legion was self-supporting, and it received no Government assistance, and even found its own rifles. Independence was claimed for tho reason that the greater proportion of the men had seen activo service, and did not wish to nlace themselves under volunteer officers. I'lioy .would drill as scouts, intelligence officers, and do guido work, and rifle clubs would be attached. Many thought that it would interfere with the volunteer recruiting, but tho answer was that, in Canada, it was laid down before official sanction was granted that, if it was found that tho legion recruits wero being drawn from tho same field as tho militia, the command voluntarily offered to liavo its charter cancelled. Ho had offered to do the samo thing hero. The practical advantage to the country was that when tho next trouble came, instead of having a horde of undisciplincd'men, thero would do a body of men, whose experience, gained in different countries of the world, and whoso ability and special knowledge would bo very valuable. A movement was on foot to form a separate regiment of Territorials from tho members in England, and the War Office had tho matter under consideration. Tho number of members in England was about 2000. Even without organisation thero wore about GO in Now Zealand, of which u wero in Wellington, 15 at Christehurch, 25 in the Auckland district, and 4 in tho Islands. These men are attached to headquarters, but aro not organised.

Asked as to bis present intentions, tho captain said that he was going Homo to report that he could not succeed in the Dominion, and that, in deference to the decision of tho Government, ho had not tried to force matters in any way.