THE EASTER MANOEUVRES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 480, 13 April 1909, Page 4

THE EASTER MANOEUVRES.

As the Government has in contemplation a drastic change in defence policy, it is possible that the military manoeuvres which have just ended may be the last.of their kind. While we are waiting for the details of the Government's scheme, however, wo may note very briefly the lessons which the rceenJ manoeuvres appear to contain for thoso responsible for-the efficiency of the volunteers. Last year's operations took the shape of an engagement between two real forces, one attacking, and one defending, the city. Thoso were very interesting and very successful 'manoeuvres, and they gave the men and officers engaged in them some useful training under conditions closely resembling the conditions that would attend actual warfare. This year the forces were engaged in tactical oxerciscs in connection with field firing, and although some features of the manoeuvres were valuable, it is difficult to account the proceedings about Oringi a complete success. The attendance was very representative of the military district, and was really very good for Wellington, and the depressing weather conditions did not chill the enthusiasm of the forces. But, as our reports of Saturday and yesterday cannot fail to make clear, a higher standard of efficiency is required from companies and battalions before successful results can be obtained from manoeuvres in brigade formation. Operation orders were not properly understood on many occasions, and it is doubtful whether this serious dofect was duo to inadequacy in the explanations of the commanding' officer or to want of practice on the part of subordinate officers in reading and interpreting operation orders. Practice in this direction should be made a special concern in future company and battalion parades. The best feature of the proceedings was the success of the field firing, which was undertaken, we believe, for the first time, this year. The "skeleton enemy" tactics were not quite thoroughly understood, a fact that points to the necessity for the adoption of these tactics by companies and battalionswherever possible.' 'Although it was found ■ difficult to obtain any very successful results in this matter from operations in brigade formation, it should not be. difficult to secure good results from operations on a smaller scale, with forces of a handier and more easily manageable size. Indeed, it is worth considering whether the battalion camps might not be revived, or, in the alternative, who-, ther a-greater" frequency of daylight parades for battalions should not be insisted upon.' But. it must not be supposed that we are admitting no useful, results ■in the Oringi. manoeuvres. That would be an incorrect reading of tho facts. But it is very doubtful whether the cost of the arrangements might not have been expended more usefully in some other way. Most of the correspondents appear to agree in noting a want of- strictness in the discipline that should have been looked for. Slackness in little things tends to beget slovenliness in general, and manoeuvres lose much of their value when they are not treated with the utmost soriousness. This year's work should teach us the inadequacy of the amount of field training that the infantry receive under existing conditions.