COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 535, 16 June 1909, Page 9

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

A DEFINITE SCHEME. PRESENTED BY THE REFORM PARTY. DISCUSSION'IN-PABLIAMENT. A definite scheme of compulsory training, which lias boon prepared by several expert members of tho Reform party, was submitted -to Parliament yesterday by Mr. James Allen, member for Bruce, and led to a very interesting discussion. Mr. Allen said that Mr.. R. H. Rhodes, member for Ellesmorc, and Mr. I'. M. B. Fisher had been working with him on tho question, and they had oome to certain conclusions, in which ho admitted there. might bo many mistakes, but which they submitted for what they wcro worth, with an earnest desiro to put tho question entirely aboro party, and to plaeo thedefeneo of tho Dominion on a sound footing at a reasonable cost.

The Various continental Systems. He had examined pretty well all tho systems ho could get hold of. ■ Ho had examined the conscription of Germany, and put it aside absolutely. He concluded that the soldier trained uudor tho conscription system of Germany was not a patch on the soldior trained under the national system of Switzerland, whatever might be said of officers. He had examined tho Canadian plan, under which .there was a voluntary s J' s^ n J backed up by a compulsory system; so that if tho volunteers dia not come forward sufficiently the Defence Act was brought into force, and they balloted for men to join the militia in those districts where there was a deficiency. Ho did not think that this sys'tem was satisfactory. It was unsound, m tho first placo, because a ballot system did not ensure that the best men would be taken. Secondly, he thought that this system would load to . moro sulky service _tha,n the Swiss. Again, it'contained a fairly large force -of permanent instructors. The ballot was taken in the first place among men from 18 to 30 years of age, who were unmarried or widowers. Ho had examined the Norwegian system, which was on somewliat* similar, linos to tho Swiss, but was not to be compared to the latter, jn his opinion. • |

Merit 3 of the Swiss System. After closely examining tho, Swiss : system and tho arguments for aiid against it, ho had concluded that, as a basis for us .in New Zealand, thero was bo compared with it Tho'Swiss system did not interfere with employment; on tho contrary, owing to the training given; more cfbcient tradesmen. The evidence was clear, on that point. It improved tho physique and moral© of tho men, and thereby contributed to industrial'efficiency.' Tho system was the very antithesis to conscription, being founded on tho olectivo freewill of the people. Thero was loss sulky service in this system than in any other; in fact, it was-warmly cherished by the people; Mr.- Allen, quoted several authorities in support of. this point. Fortyfour thousand men and officers volunteered for - this training in tho Swiss cantons. Mr. Allen dwelt also on the • improvement of morale, and stated that tho idea of duty was instilled into the Swiss pcoplo from their earliest childhood. •■ . .

Beginning With tho Boys. Tho proposals brought forward by the members of the Reform party provided that trailing should begin at the earliest stage. (Hear, - hear.), There would be physical training beginning from tho first day a boy joined the primary school. Ho would begin.with i>hysicaf drill, .'and afterwards there' would gymnastics. When, the boy was a little older he would learn' squadron drill; and perform miniature rifle practice, for which miniature rifle ranges'-would have to be provided. Thi3 instruction would be given bv tho school (tesclior, and they wanted the education regulations amended.so.that-every,school .teacher going through' the trainiiig 'college should, bo fully' equipped ', for,. tho, purpose.. Only - a small'alteration of tho regulations would bo required for this purpose. If teachers could not bo provided to give-the instruction, they should- have either, peripatetic teachers or. the non-commissioned officers of the -Permanent Force should be sent round to do tlio .work. . Compulsory Cadet instruction. As soon 1 as the boy left . the primary school, ho should be carried on to 4 cadct, corps. He believed that this could be made compulsory 1 without any difficulty ; it would be a pity to lose the boy after ho left the primary school, as. in that c;i£c ho would forget the instruction lie had already gained, and would not benefit, to tho saniQ degree from - hia later training. Tho cadct age would be from 13oo r 14 to 18.; If the boy was/at a high school, ,ho would bo under'' the high school .masters, similarly trained, while ho. was !in tho corps. . If ho waß not at a high-school, he would be under ron-commissioned officers from tho first or second line of defence. ; The training would cbnsist of physical drill, company and battalion drill, -musketry ,work, and, for some, artillory work. 'From tho ages of 13 to 15, somo 40. hours a year should be. given to training:; from the age of 16 tho boy should spend, in addition, seven continuous days in camp, . and, for this purpose, permanent camping grounds, and barracks should -bo established. It would be a saving to the country to havo theso pcrmanont barracks instead of having a continual .carrying about . of tents. <

Tho Stage for Young Men. . At tho age of 18, the first lino of trained moil began.. -Between'', the -'ages of 18 and 21,, evefy man physically nt should go through a course of .training, which would render .him, at 21, 1 ; a .pretty thoroughly trained man; One evening a week should be given by every young man, with one halfholiday a month, and seven Jays' encampment "a year. If ono evening a week was not 4 given' there should'be M-days' encampment in the yehr, either .altogether or in tivo divisions. / The instruction would bo the same! as between the agos from 14 to 18.' The officers', .training courso' should be reorganised, and'the training supplemented. : For Men.' The second line of defence. would, consist of mon between tbe ages of 21 and 30; In order to keep them up, to the standard they should put in six whole: days : in the • field. The third line of. defence, consisting of men of moro than 30 years, loft them free from control, but kept them available,for defenco in case they/.rere called out until they were 38 years ofd. ■With regard to trihsport and supply, both for theso forces and fftr mounted men, a retaining fee should bo paid, for which horses or wagons, or carts should .be .at the disposal of tho Defeiico Department whenever they .were wanted. .•

Tho Estimated Cost. As regards tlid cost of tho solieme in the first stage, there were about 72,000 boys between the ages of 6 and 13, and taking 75 per cent, of these as available for training, that gaVe 54,000, who ivould cost, at the rate of 10s. a head per annum, £27,000. In tho second age, from 13 to 18, there were about 43,000 youths. Taking 76 per. cent, of these at £1 per head,' tho cost for' dofonce cadets would be £33,000) Departmental officers would cost £10,000, tho sarpo as now, and permanent officers £100,000, instead of ! £60,000, as at present, to provide for extra training. , Tho cost of tho division from 18 to 21 years would bo £27,000. Under the scheme there would bo over 30,000 trained men at tho end of the third year;, over 40,000 at'the end of tho sixth year; 61,000 after tho ninth year; and 82,000 from tho ttvelfth year onwards. Tho cost would only bo : from £387,000 to • £424,000.