MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 12

MILITARY NOTES.

[Edited By EcnEtojf.l OVERSEA TROOPS COMPLIMENTED. AUSTRALIAN NEWS ITEMS. The Commonwealth Defence Department has boon ashed by parents of cadets to defray the expenses of travelling to and from parades. Cadets ni-e supposed to bo within easy access of their training centres, and the Acting-Minister of Defence has decided that (ravelling expenses will bo paid only whtn cadcc.>> are required to attend training at a distance of more than five miles from their usual training grounds, or outsido of ',ho area in which they wero enrolled. The Commonwealth Actiug-Minister of JJcience lias received au opinion from tho l'c-ileral Crown Solicitor advising that senior cadets are at all limes subject to military law when on di.ty, and by regulations are subject to tho penalties . imvosva upon tho citizen forces for insubordination. TJio dillorence. is made in tho case of senior cadets tiiat they shall lio brought before a Court of summary jurisdiction, instead of a court-martial. Oflenders may bo.punished by imprisonment not exceeding Un-o mouths or a hue of £20. If the offenders ore under the a KO of seventeen they can bo dealt wivli by children's courts only, The district military authorities have been instruclod to prosecute boys guilty of insubordination unfl outsiders guilty of inciting to insubordination. Some disgust has been expressed by the now officers of tho Commonwealth senior cadets because tho Doluice Department is distributing only shirts, breeches, hats, caps, and puttees among them as their uniform (reports tho "Age"). Tho now officers appear to be anxious lest they do not get tho jacket promised in the regulations, and feel aggrieved because permanent non-commissioned officers arc more gaudily dressed than themselves. It has been ascertained that tenders will soon bo called for jackets, which will bo provided free to officers, and that in tho meantime old uniforms may bo worn if appearance in shirt sleeves is considered undignified. At the same time, permanent officers state, that shirt sleeves are the best working uniform. They have little respect for new officers who seek (ho "frills and tas-scls" winch havo boon expressly excluded from military uniforms In the Commonwealth, and stale that the new senior cadet officers' jackets will bo severely simple. Conscientious objectors to the new link vers.il military Iraininc in Australia have caused less trouble than was expected (states tho Melbourne "Ago"). Many letters havo been received, it is true, from various Stales—chiefly from NewSouth Wales—but in few instances havo this writers adopted utterly unreasonable attitudes. Where it has been found that strong religious convictions arc tit the baso of tho objector's scruples, an endeavour has been made by the Defence Department to meet tho position. In tho case of Quakers, for example, it has been arranged that the lads shall be placed in tho ambulanco corps. They will bo taught first aid principles, and encour. aged-to go further in life-saving study, and, incidentally, they will learu the drill and discipline of "tho army service men. This- apparently meets with tho approval of their parents. Ono rare case is now being dealt with. A parent objects to any form of military service for his son, and states that ho would not fight for his home, his money, his life, or his children. Happily such cases liavo been fow and far between. The following appeared in General Orders by Major-General Lord Cheylcsmore,, issued just before the departure of tho' Coronation oversea troops at tho couclu-' tfion of tho festivities: — "Oa_ (ho cvo.of the breaking up of tho Colonial camp assembled on the occasion of tho Coronation of his Majesty Kinj George V., I beg to express my thanks to tho officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the colonial troops for their excellent behaviour while under my comruiiwl at tho Duke of York's Schools. The general conduct of all ranks and their soldierly appearance on parndo have been, in my opinion, worthy of the great occasion in which they havo taken so prominent a pnrt. I can but hopo that they havo enjoyed their stay ill the Mother Country, and that they will carry back to their homes many pleasant reminiscences."

it was fiu-thor intimated (lint by cominand of his Majesty a Coronation souvenir is to bo published, giving particulars regarding tho regiments represented, uid their officers. Upon completion thi will be distributed amongst those who have been assembled in tho camp, ns well as amongst the Indian troops who have been at Hampton Court.

Universal training has already sliova tliat drill halls must bo provided in all training areas (comments tho "Ago"). Their nbsonco means training at night in dark streets, and though this may bo tolerable in tlio case of tho cadets, it will bo a severe handicap to the scheme when in a few years largo companies of adults are undergoing- drill. Apart from tho difficulties of drilling effectively in public and without proper light, there is. tho severo discomfort occasioned to trainees by exposure to tho weather. How to pet drill iialls erected, without cost is tho problem before the Federal Government. If built by tho Government they would >

eo&t .£100,600, and (his sum enunot be spared from tho national Treasury. Voluntary effort by local bodies is tho desire of the Government, which is prepared to do everything to help such movements except contribute towards tho funds. Tho Government hopes that tho serious difficulties will bo oyercomo by citizens in training areus orcutms witll Ihen own labour, or at their own expense, halls for the training of their sons and the storage of arms. These halls, it is pointed out. Rould be fitted .is gymnasiums and would soon pay for themselves bj tho added , , physical powers of tho yonnn men of Iho. areas. ■ Local action is the o.ily solution of the problem of providing drill halls for iho now dei'enco scheme. A movement,, nta/tpd at It'oolscray (a Melbourne suburb) some weeks ago to erect drill halls for the uso of the cadets enrolled under Iho national defence sehetno has been favourably taken up by the residents in that lopnlity. Kecognising the necessity that, if the cadets are to bo properly (Tamed, i.hcv should be i'» n suitable room, n local resident drow public attention to the position, urginz that action should boi lakcn to raise ft turn ol money locally and build ii hall. A public meeting was convened, and a strong committee was formed. A, circular letter was distributed amongst the itf.OUO residents of Footscray city, whic.ii includes (no districts of Vn'rraville, Footscray, and Sunshine, which mado a strong oppeal to tho support ot every citau ittl.ottgU Uic sttggc.slion has hardly yet had timo to 1)0 considered, twenty guineas have been handed to the committee, owl promises of substantial support have been met with on every hand. Tho Minister for Defence, who was communicated with on the mailer, gave it his approval, and (ho secretary of the movement was to have met the" Minister for Home Affairs curly this, week, to seek co-operation in arranging for a grand military parade. In a tortnight's time a strong and representative committee will , have been formed, and the- , canvassing will be proceeded with jn a systematic way. Alrenii> -the market. mnara atFootsc.ray has been made avail-, nb'lo as a site for ono of the two halls that will h" necessary, and it is thought probable that no difficulty willMw experienced in obtaining a site for the othet hall. Tho Minister for Defence has estimated (ho expense of t-roction of u suitable hall at .S7SH. and, will: the grounds made avn'lablo, the committee expects lo lw able !■' erect Iho (wo halls for .C12(lfl. There ai" in these two military arena nearly MOO boys. Almuly this proposal has been considered in oilier pnrts ot t.hoSljilo. and nn annoiincemont bos como from Sydney that (lie matter is Ixmur dis-' cussed'by loadiiiß cit.ir.ens with n viow of, buiUliiiK im with a lmf.ional delenco system a national patriotism.