DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 May 1909, Page 8

DEFENCE.

VIEWS ON COMPULSORY TRAININC. Tho important question of internal defence has been very much in evidence during the last year. I have already intimated Government proposals to dispense with'the council and to; submit important alterations in the' defence system generally for the con.sideration 'of Parliament next sessioii. .. There, are some people' who, with the best possible of intentions; call out for universal military service; others, though their numbers ,' are fewer, ask for a. system of conscription; 'and another section still calls for universal training. ■ Tho, whole matter, requires to be viewed, not from the. standpoint of panic or from exaggerated theories that in general practice, would be found impossible of carrying out; and would impose upon the country a heavier burden than it could bear, but from (ho standpoint first of tho. actual needs of the country,'and, second, the total'amount we .can' afford to.devote for the purpose. It is quite a mistaken-idea to supposo that nothing has been done, or is being done, under ihe present system. (Applause.) I will enumerate a.few, of the moi-o important works ; and ohanges'- that have been undertaken and ,'effected during the,last two years. The coii.struction of now forts at both Auckland and Wellington is being pushed on withdefence have;' been revised; mobilisation orders and regulations for all branches of the defence forces have been;,issued,; and the .total armaments and equipments ...have been 'increased... The theory that the numbers .of < our vblunteors are diminishing is not correct; at, the end of last year .the total strength of the defence forces, of the Dominion showed, a considerable increase over tho numbers of' the previous year, last year showing a total of all ranks of 20,428/' This was a reoord. 'New Zealand has more men under arms (not,counting cadets or' the members of, the rifle clubs) in proportion to tho population capable of bearing ; arms than .other portions of, the Empire, including, the United -Kingdom 'itself, our proportion being 10.2 per oent. During the last two years there has been.Jnstituted by the Counoil of Defence a system of examination for all permanent officers; extended 5-ailway ; .travelling . privileges; continuous ■training. at' Easter, -with payment , -'for .' at-, tendance and free-' rations; increased amount of / ammunition - given; ; considerable' increase in'.'mobilisation, stores,./waterproof ./sheets, moss tinsj'tents, cooking-utensils,-; bivouac "shelters, accoutrement, a.;nucleus; ; ;.of ,trans-, ': port -' general service ' wagons,;; water,-. carts,. pack saddles, harness for- same; tho . stock of :small arms.-has been'increased: the reserve of. ammunition increased; : horse :hire allowed ,to: volunteer officers Who have to hire; horses, .mounted' rifles excepted; the Inspector-Gen-eral'of Forces' and four officers-seleoted, are about to proceed to England for training; one officer is being l ';eduoated .at the . Staff College, and is now duo' to returnto New Zealand; .establishment,' of officers' .training ; corps, whereby: university/students may practise defence; veterinary department established, .with .equipment at each district; £20,-,' 000 bxpehdcd on drill halls ahd riflo 'ranges; new volunteer corps on acceptance supplied with uniforms and equipment on instalments against capitation,' instead of having l to bor--1 row as before; medical equipment increased; formation of reserves,'and reserves'to corps ;, officers' instructors .have .been; appointed ■in addition' to: the 'sergeant" instructors,' arid districts are more fully staffed.than before! Z ! Difficulties In the Way. . While I am anxious to see tho. internal defenoe put upon a muoh better footing to .'ensure .the'; building; up. of a sufficient number of trained men' to effectively; secure an organisation that could in time 'of stress do valuable work, yet I 'am conscious of, the fact that. therß; are. 1 , very . considerable ' difficulties in oarrying out what'some pcoplo ; are urgjng '.-namely,;- that oapaole :of bearing anns should be brought undor somo ! system; of. compulsion as regards- military' training,', not because I would not like to see it,/quite' the contrary,'but'l. cannot shut my eyes , to. the: difficulties : that Burrouiid : suoh a. proposition. There -are to-day in tiio -Domimon capable of /bearing arms: on.. servioe in tho field,: after allowing 'for.,the/unfit arid other, exemptions, approximately 160,0001 men ■ over tho age of 21 years/ A voiy large number of;.these'.have to/earn.tlheir.,living, and-.there are/ . somo ;/ thousands ; of , ; men.; '-/ between -/the . ages', of 21 and 30, Umarried arid with familiesjiwHo are not more' than able to keep them under present conditionsj and who if withdrawn at least for 1 daylight training: purposes ; would in every linstance have';to be -paid;'.. ,It- is • quito eviIdent : that employers could not bo expected HJtb pay their- men or to' allow': such -.large numbers off periodically! at their -'.oxperiso; In fact, quite recently ',ono who .publicly urged military training when ,askea: ai. to* .his'own employees said that .'the ";public would have to foot the. bill, so that in assessing what' we aro prepared to do we must, as a matter" of ordinary prudence, arrive at a definite conclusion as to what'/we could afford, to pay. At the-same rate of oost : that is now -going' oii.-in .the oountry, 160,000 men would run into an expenso of £1,080,000 per, annum. ' l am quite oertain that a , large number;; of ■ these - men, eveni though .they might bp willing, could not/afford to devote the time that-a military organisation would require unless they were paid, so that,. in; dealing' with this ;iriatter, wo must of necessity 'keep,- before us what we' aro prepared to pay \annually. The question is upon which I'do j not think any hasty , ooriolusion should be arrived at. Tho Government will; ■ submit :: proposals to .- Parliament' malting provisions: for a graduallyimproved; system upon tha.t' Which exists : at the present time. I think the! good sense of Parliament will enable a systim to bo established in accordance with what ia feasible from a financial standpoint. (Applauso.)