THE PREMIER ON DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 755, 2 March 1910, Page 5

THE PREMIER ON DEFENCE.

ACT MAY BE AMENDED. ~ M DEPENDS ON JU7.TCHENEE. (By Telegraph—Special' Correspondent.) Auckland, March 1. The new Defence Act tame into force to-day. In reference to this subject, the Minister for Defence (Sir Joseph Ward), on being asked for information, stated that there would be.no dislocation in the procedure in passing from the one system to the other, and that, the transition would bo a gradual one. Temporary regulations under the new Act, to suffic.o tor present needs, had been gazetted, and the permanent regulations would be discussed at a meeting of officers commanding districts, which was to be held at AVellington on Monday next., The report of Lord Kitchener on his inspection of the Dominion's defences, which will be received in due course, may have an important- bearing in deciding the form that the regulations may take. It may even be necessary, Sir Joseph Ward pointed out, to amend the Aot in certain directions next session as a result of Lord Kitchener's report, but this, of course, could not bo determined until the report was received. A number of officers of the Auckland garrison celebrated the passing of the Volunteer Forces and 1 tho birth of the Territorial Force at tho Officers' Club. A number of toasts were honoured, and tho function terminated a few minutes after 12.