KITCHENER'S REPORT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 763, 11 March 1910, Page 7

KITCHENER'S REPORT.

MR. MASSEY*S VIEWS' EXPENDITURE SHOULD BE CAREFULLY considered. "MAKE HASTE SLOWLY." (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, March id. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. W. F. Massey, M.P., to-day stated that he had not had an opportunity of thoroughly studying Lord- Kitchener's recommendations, but ho consented to state his views in regard to the . main principles of the proposals. . '

Watch the Cost Closely. . "1, . supported the Defence Act of last J session," said - Mr. Massey, "because 1 felt that we ought to do a great deal more than we had been doing' in the way of defence, arid I am anxious. that. wo should, as far as possible, take advantage of tlie advice and experience of the distinguished. soldier who has jilst visited this country. I think, however, that it would be a serious uiistake at present' to go, beyond the expenditure contemplated by the' Act of 1909 or to increase the age for military trniniug. I notice that' the Minister for Defence estiniates the niaxiirium cost of Lord Kitchener's scheme at =£470,000' per annum. To that' we have.to add ,£l6o,«)0 as the annual subsidy to the Imperial Navy, and interest and .sinking fund iii connection with the Dreadnought, estimated at .£156,000 per annum; say, £750,000; in all. Can the-.Doniinion-afford this at : present? I -think not. I consider wo should go on -with the Act of last year, amend it where if requires amendment, and at the same, time work on the lines laid down by Lord Kitchener'; but subject' .to the jdefence expenditure being, kept down, to,as nearly half- a.million per annum as possible., I am quite certain that if we launch out into an extravagant scheme,- there will be a'w action; and ,w;e' shall lose the ground we have gained."'/;' ... ~', . ''■ Age Limit Tod High, ..}•'■.; In-regard to the proposal. for .increasing the age. for military training, Mr. Massey said; "I a'ni sure' this would also bo a mistake. Many people do not look- favdu'rably oh compulsory training.up to 21; buß if we increase the age to, 26, as' suggested, there' will Vo dislocation of, certain industries/ and' cttnsequently trouble, and I, L for one camiot agree id the' proposal. The Minister for Defence says that the new suggestions can lid given effect to without increasing, the taxation, but do not let us -forget-' that Parliament increased the taxation last year.by approximately half a million and oh the understanding, that the increases in Customs' duties : was to be only temporary. Parliament "and the : people will'.expect that promise to be kept, and if the'promise' is adhered to there would be doubt about our ability 'to' finance the new scheme." , .

In regard to the., suggestion thait.Au6tf alia. and New Zealand should adopf homogeneous military systems, Mr.. sey said that'this proposal was.obviously a sound one. "The two countries," he' said; "should so' arrange their defences as to be ableto co-operate in time'of danger,, as it is'iquite certain' that in the event, of trouble they would have": to stand or; fall : together. The proposal that vc.S should send our' cadets to be instructed at .the Austfalia'n.,military college'.is manifestly, also a good one. I agree witi the.Prime Minister that this is not a 1 party question j it is above party. Lord Kitchener's advice to not allow personal considerations to stand in the way of. also, of course,.be followed if, wo expect to build up'"a sound system of ■ ■'• ~ ■ .. In Mr'.',Massey said: "The. country as a whole is willing to do its duty from an Imperial vieiw, but the new proposals, and'even the'provis-' ions in (he new Defence Act, are largely experimental, and I think we are much more' likely to do;the right thing in the way of our duty to the Empire and our own country' if we avoid plunging,. and make haste slowly." . •• .' ,'• AN AUCKLAND OPINION; NO MILITAKT,. CASTE WANTED. ' (By TeleiraDh.—Press Association'.! '. Auckland, March id. . Both papers regard , Lord " Kitchener's .letter, as .an eminently, practical and commbhsense communication, and warmly support the' proposal for thorough' aiid efficient training. ,- The. general feeling, however, is that the' information given is rather bald, .and there, is. no- doiibt that the. kernel 6f the Field-Marshal's recommendation forms' the ' subject ■of . a confidential report, which is probably ; at Wellington, and,, at the present time, under the consideration 'of the four officers commanding districts . who are in conference at the capital city. ' This was 'the'.' opinion . expressed .by ah experienced' Auckland officer when he was asked 'his .viesvs -as to Lord 'Kitchener's letter to the.Prime Minister.-. ■',''.' '"The O.C.V. he said, "are. no doubt considering the, Pield-Marskai's .recommendations so as to embody them: in the regulations for the new Act.- -With regard to .the 'area'system,',as.-Lord. Kitchener' calis it, I think itwill be. generally conceded that it is just .the' thing that we want in this country. Take a big district like' Te Artliii aiitl Mofflns'fille; it is too much for one man to work—it is so scattered..' Adopting a' certaiil number of areas' would cause a spirit of emulation among the corps, and every •instructor would bo on his mettle to see that the cofps . under his Charge were not beaten, by the troops of'any other instructor.- The idea, of the area system is ono big district divided into a number of sub-districts—3o in. the .North Island and 25 in Island.. .These subdistricts would each -have an instructor; and the O.C. would still run the whole show' as it. were" . .. - ~ "I hope," remarked the officer,... discussing the question of instructors; "that wljen commissions are being given in connection with the new regiment, the present sergcaht-majbf ' instructors will not be forgotten. Thoy. have done excellent work, and have, really kept the mounted regiments together. . When -the honours are 'being 'distributed, it, would be only right that they, should be remembered." . Attention being drawn to: the remarks in. Lord Kitchener's letter concerning the influence of party politics and . "personal considerations'.' in military affairs, the officer stated emphatically: "He is .quite right; there should be.no, considerations of a personal or social .character whatever. In a,.certain, district, it. used .to bis the practice .that membership of. a certain club was a: sine qua riori if a man wanted to rise id' any. of the higher positions in the garrison.. Unless he belonged tb this club,:he was quite out ofthe funning. This wfe'tched personal els-' merit exists now throughout•: niihion, arid is, of colifse. detrimental to the interests' of thg forces in a parked degree. It is well khothi that ii 'crawler' will always get ahead of.the'.plodder..; ';'

"The ability df tlio ntaril'sKtiuld 'count iij eveYy instance) afld stbilify only should be the standard for promotion. Because n man works with -Hi's hands in some calling, that is not to say that he should take second place to S man who works in an office,, or has a profession. The idea that 'every soldier carries a .baton in his knapsack* should still prevail, and. if it did, it would 1)6 an incentive to the rawest recruit to do his Best to. gain a commission: ; This array of burs, is to be an army bf the people,' arid nothing ihust be done that s'avdiirs of Setting'. up the so-called military caste, which'is repilgnatit to the nature of the people of the Uominibn;". PRIME MINISTER'S. FIGURES. CimiSTCHTJB.CH COMMENTS. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) . Christchurbli, March 10. Dealing with Lord Kitchener's report, thS "Prttss" expresses sbmd doubt, as to whether it is safe to argrio that because wi have Only bile-fourth'the population of Australia oiir defences, arranged oh Unci similar to those proposed iii Australia, will diily cost a quarter as iriuch It may be that, after the details of the Bc&emo have been worked oat here. Sir .

Joseph's argument wi!! i.nvc correct, but, looking at thenuJc; as it si,ina.v and at the conditions in Hew Zoj.anrl, one cannot help thinking that it wi.l cost proportionately more to provide an efficient defence force for the Dominion than' for' the Commonwealth. The cost of the scheme is considerably greater present, and the impending expenditure oii defence in the seventh year, the Prime Minister tells us, will probably be .£IOO,OOO more. It sounds a great deal of' money; but Sir Joseph Ward asserts- that it can be met withod*" increasing taxation. ...-■' There is. tliis to be remembered about it: that, if the scheme is carried out as. Lord Kitchener urges with a single' eye to- efficiency, wo shall have a- defence system that is worth what it costs. It is' a- question between spending .£400,000,0r .£500,000 a year and getting our money's worth, or spending from JKOO.OOO to £300,000 and not getting it. Sir Joseph Ward says that, if we arb to have* an effective system of defence for New Zealand, the experience- and judgment of the greatest authority in ,the Empire should be accepted. We havf appealed to the highest authority'. and, having appealed, we shall be worse than foolish ,if we fail to : act on his advice. The "Press" adds that it is gratifying to note that Sir Joseph Ward thoroughly agrees with Lord Kitchener as to the. desirability of keeping tho. question of defence above party politics, and states: "We trust that he .will be' as good as his professions: Nothing, has operated more disastrously in the past against the defence force of New Zealand than the manner in . which efficiency has. been sacrificed ..for political patronage . anij favouritism."