NEW DEFENCE FORCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 773, 23 March 1910, Page 8

NEW DEFENCE FORCE.

OUTLINE OF THIS YEAR'S WORK. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT. According to the latest information available on the subject, the Defence Forces are to be officially regarded as in a state of transition this year. The territorial force in each, district is to be organised.into brigades,, regir ments, and battalions, as far as local conditions admit, as follow: — One mounted rifle brigade of two or three regiments and headquarters. One mounted signalling company. One mounted supply column. One mounted field ambulance. One field artillery brigade and ammunition column. One field .engineering company.. One infantry brigade of three or four battalions and headquarters. One infantry signalling company. One infantry supply column mixed. One field ambulance. ■ As regards officers, the first appointment will be made on the recommendation of a board of selection, consisting of the officer commanding the district and officers commanding corps. Promotions will be submitted to the Promotion Board. The . active list will be

abolished, the officers being transferred to the reserve of officers. - For-the pre.sent the territorial force may be recruited only up to the establishment of the old volunteer forces. Service'dress .only : may be obtained ■ for ■ recruits. Training will bo as hitherto, with the exception that infantry corps'and the cycle' corps will train in camp for a period of'seven days, night and morning only, unless they volunteer to remain in camp during the" day,: when a personal allowance will be granted. The .general regulations of 1906 will be adhered.tb when not in conflict with the provisions of .the. new, Act, until the new regulations have been, .issued. ' Whether .the provisions of Section 38 (which relates to ..the disbandment of the existing defence cadets) will be. enforced as laid down, has not been decided with, reference to .independent companies, and .'will probably be determined on the recommendation of officers commanding' the districts. The high school battalion is to,be retained, and the future organisation of. the, senior cadets, other Qian these willbe under separate companies. Cadets may be permitted to hold camps as hitherto until the end of this month.. : _, With reference to. the general training section, t.ho registration.of youths liable to serve may possibly be postponed for inclusion in the census next year, but it is probable that' a preliminary registration will take place. One camp will be formed in each island. ■The men will be available for . service with the territorial unit of the area from which they are drawn, if required. The training is expected to commence in about a year's time. It will be carried on during six months of each year; the men being allowed as far.as possible to attend for the stated period of fourteen days as will least interfere with their employment. ■■