OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 517, 26 May 1909, Page 8

OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS.

MEETING AT VICTORIA COLLEGE. lA QUESTION OF EMPLOYERS. The movement for the establishment of an officers' training corps at Viotoria College was advanced a further and definite stage at a meeting of students held' at the college' last evening. Professor Kirk, chairman of the Professional Board, presided, and there were also present: Colonel A. W. Robin, C.8., Chief of the General Staff; Liout.-Colonel A. Bauchop, C.M.G., Officer Commandiug the Wellington District; Major Lascelles, of the Instructional Staff at Headquarters; Mr. T. R. Fleming, of the Victoria Collego Council; and Professors Von Zedlitz and Eastcrfield. The proceedings throughout were'of an'enthusiastic character. _ The ohajrman, in opening, traversed the history of the movement (published in Thb Dominion last week), and went on to say that the Professorial Board held strongly the viow that it.was the duty of every man to take his part in the defence of his • country, but it was felt that the students had very great demands upon their time, and that nothing should bo attempted which would tend' to trench upon their university work. Colonel Robin's Remarks. Colonel Robin, who was cordially received, expressed himself as being very gratified, with the progress of the movement. They were, in regard to the formation of officers' training corps in New Zealand following in the steps of the military authorities at Home. Local conditions, of course, had to be contended with, and it would be left to them (the-students of the college) to indicate to the defence authorities the extent to which, under the conditions ihioh obtained here, they could undertake efficient training in such a corps. He strongly advised them not to undertako too ambitious a scheme, and not. to organise something which they cpuld not efficiently handle! If they organised a corps of 120, at a cost'of something like £5, or £B per head, and at the end of the year found that, they could only answer for forty, or fifty, they would find that much of the time and energy expended would be profitless. He outlined the salient conditions' which governed the formation-of an officers' training civais, and repeated that it would bo left entirely to themselves to state what time and what nnmber of hours they could devote to their training. He urged that thoy should embark upon' their undertaking not as "a bit of fun,' but in a serious spirit, and with a clear apprehension of the objects of that undertaking. . ' Professor Yon. Zedlitz said that theiProfossorial Board was anxious. that every 'student who desired to become a member of the officers' training corps should be given a reasonable opportunity of doing so. Another point was that the board felt that the interests of the students should be safeguarded, a feeling which was deepened by the prevailing impression that universal military training in New Zealand was not improbable in the future. As the defence authorities had, -through Colonel Robin, afforded tho students "such a generous discretion as to tho 'time and hours, to bo devoted to training, he thought that they should grasp the opportunity, lest in the future a worse fate befall them. (Laughter.) ."'.' ■':■ ■. j ' 'i.. - Employers to be Approached, i The next question, he continued, was the matter of the college time-table. The Professorial Board had come to the conclusion'that,, it would not be in ithe interests of the students' to sacrifico any portion of the time. covered by the syllabus of leoturcs; that being so, .it had been finally decided that the b^st'thing to do was to ascertain from the eraployersof the students whether or not it would be possible I for a concession of ono'hour per week' to bo I granted for.purposes of training. If that concession wore obtained,, and the; students sacri-' ficed an additional hour-of their own time, efficient work could be done. With tho purpose of ascertaining all the necessary data with reference to this, and also /to the facilities which would be granted in regard to training camps, special forms would be issued to tho students, wherein specific questions would be Set forth. The Professorial Board would then bo in a position to make arrangements. The Movement Elsewhere., Major Lascelles said that, before leaving England for New Zealand two years ago, General Ewart,'Director of Military Operations, > sent for him,-and impressed upon him the importance of the movement for the establishment of officers' training corps, > a question 'which was then, under consideration.' There was a very serious shortage of officers, and the creation of the officers' corps was designed to furnish a reserve of officers who could, under a definite system of training, bo fitted to fulfil the duties land responsibilities of company officers. A minimum of drill would bo required, but what- was practically wanted was that tho members of officers' training corps should'be intellectually trained. In England, since tho first officers' training corps' was gazetted, in June, 1908, the establishments had increased to the'extent that to-day tho total membership reached 17,000. The study of military science, formerly confined to tho military colleges, at Woolwich and Sandhurst, was now. generally' included in the syllabi of the Home universities; there was a chair of military science at the M'Qill University in Canada, and also, nearer home, at Sydney University, which was an indication that the trend of opinion on the importance of the subject was engaging tho attention of colonial universities. , ■'■ Attitude .of the Council. In reply to a question from Professor Eaßter. field, Sir. T. R. Fleming, a member'of tho Col. lege Council, said that he was not prepared to express, as coming from the council, any opinion on tho movement; personally, he did not think that any objection would be placed in the way. Mr. R. St. J. Beero moved, and Mr. J. A. Cowles seconded, "That au officers' training corps be'.organiscd at Victoria College." ' The motion was carried unanimously, and a committee, consisting of Professors Kirk and Von Zedlitz, and Messrs. Beero, Cowles, Short; Atkinson, and Gibb was appointed to supervise all arrangements until such tirao as the corps shonld bo properly organised. On the motion of Mr. Fleming, a vote of thanks was accorded Colonol Robin for his pre sence and'advice. '..''-.' >~\.: .