MILITARY NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1440, 15 May 1912, Page 4

MILITARY NOTES.

ft {Edited Bt Echklok.] ; TRAINING AUSTRALIAN CADETS, INSPECTOIt-GKNERAI,, OVERSEAS FOKCTES. One feature of the reports now reaching Iho Victorian military .district headqunrtcrs concerning the recent Easter camps is the glowing and general satisfaction of commanding officers at the improving discipline of the men. Complaints are largely restricted, ns usual, to casual remarks on thr- commissariat. "The discipline was asf good as any," stated (ho A.A.G., Liciiieiinnt-Coloiiel Hawker, in discussing the coining abolition of the canteen. "Tlio canteens seomod to he doing very poor busiiipss, partly owing to the notion of tho Y.M.C.A. in having tents for the men to go to for reading, writing, nnd chatting together." These were tho last camps at which the canteen will he allowed. Under the compulsory training regulations no intoxicating drink is allowed among tho troops or even in officers' mosses or tents. Whether this will add to or detract from the adult compulsory training to bo inaugurated under the Defence Act next July (says the "Age") remains to be seen.

In connection with a r«eont rumour that Sir lan Hamilton (Inspector-General of tho Oversea Forces), would shortly tour the British Oversea Dominions—a rumour since discredited—"Mars," of the "Military Mail," states that "there is a strong foeiiiig in service circles that Sir Inn Hamilton will lo tho last holder of the useless post of Coinmander-iii-Cliiof of the Mediterranean, nnd Inspector-General of tho Oveasua Forces a post which absorbs jCiiOOO of the Estimates every year it remains in existence, to say nothing about the pay and allowances of his three etaff oliicnrs/one of whom is a brigadiergeneral. The situation at present is certainly very puzzling to tho ordinary person who takes a little interest in military matters. Wo have Lord Kitchener in Egypt; and Sir Archibald Hunter at Gibraltar, both of whom are senior in rank to Sir Inn Hamilton. Why keep up the post of Commander-in-Chief at all? By all means let us have sn Inspector-General of Oversea Forces, but do not base his operations on Malta and give him a position whose powers are somewhat abbrevi' ated by reason of the above-mentioned seniority. Ti;o inspection of Overseas Forces is a necessary duly, but no one can understand why the Inspector-General should also lie Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean, a duel position which is rather Giibertian. Abolish the Mediterranean job and let Sir lan Hamilton travel round the Empire as much as he likes, that is the general opinion at present."

For twelve months the QuartermasterGeneral's department lms been experimenting with various designs of boots, in quest of the ideal for young soldiers. Lieutenant-Colonel l>gge is well pieced with the boot evolved. With the .Minister's approval he has called for tenders for the supply of 20,000 pairs, one pair for each of the 211,000 eadets to become militiamen in July. Manufacturers will tender for oho or two patterns, the difference in which is that one has soles of patent waterproof leather, and tho other of plain Australian bark-tanned crop. The uppers n're to be of stout box hide, chrome, tanned, with the Hesh sido outwards, and with suede finish. The object of having the rough, woolly side outwards is to prevent polishing. Tho militiamen will be compelled by regulation to oil or grease his boots. He must not polish them. Having the smooth sido inwards allows of easy donning. When called to arms at the bivouac, the roung Australian soldier should have no trouble in slipping Iris foot into his boot. The rough outside gives the boots an unusual appearance, but they possess an amazing amount of pliability considering their stoutness. This is partly due to tho provision that three thicknesses of leather in tho sole stretch without interruption from rear of heel.to toe. No oilier army boot has (his improvement. It prevents water from getting through the sole. The boots open with iho Derby cut, and have six largo eyelet holes. With them the department will supply the militiamen with leather laces. The Imperial service hoot has no bend at the instep; nnd the recruit after his first day's march is in agony. The acv: Commonwealth service boot has a pleasant give upwards and downwards at this important point, and the department expects that militiamen will be able to march far in them without discomfort.

"If imitation is the sincerest flattery, then the worthy editor of the 'Army Review' must bo flattered by the recent publication of similar journals in Australia and in New Zealand. With regard to the latter, the first number made its appearance in January, under the title of 'The New Zealand Military Journal,' and in the introductory notes it states that it is being published with a view to provide articles of an interesting and jn-i stnictive nature to all ranks of the military forces of the Dominion (comments "Mars" in tho "Military Mail"). At present it. is to be issued quarterly, but hopes are being entertained of such an ihflux of contributions that a monthly issue will be necessary. It purports to bo a publication by officers, and among the nine contributors in tho first number are four members of the Headquarters Staff, viz.: Lieut.-C'ol, J. T. Burnett-Stu-art, Captains G- S. Richardsim, J. E. Duigan, and F. Burton Mabin. LieutCol.. Burnett-Stuart is evidently a popular officer in far-off New Zealand. From my own experience of him when at the War Office 1 can quite endorse this statement, as he gained many Mends when General Staff Officer in the Military Training Department, and also throughout, the Officers' Training Corps. His article in. the 'New Zealnnd Military Journal' has for its subject the. elementary principles for the training of territorial regimental oflicers, and is full of solid advice."

Many suggestions have been made for making cadet training easier for trainees and employers (comments the "Melbourne Age") ■ Some employers, who object, to being called on at. snort notice to allow their young employees away on a Saturday morning for a .statutory parade, havo suggested that the Minister for Defence should fix one day in each quarter for statutory parades' throughout a State, and Urns give employers ample warning of tho time when they will be without the assistance of their lads. Discussing these suggestions, Senator Pearce (Australian Minister for Defence) outlined his policy willi the statement that brigade-majors and area officer.-! had power to order tho drills when they liked, and instructions to give as little inconvenience as possible. "It would be foolish for me to make a rule for all Australia," he proceeded, "for different localities have different days of the week for their halfholidays. A day suiting one locality would not suit another. The project is unworkable, but employers should get into touch with brigade-majors and aren officers, and they will be convenienced a? far as possible. Wo cannot expect the scheme to work without a jar at present. In Perth, whoro there is a universal half-holiday, the proprietor of the evening newspaper has protested because the training is taking away all tho boys on that day, and ho is unable to get lads to sell his papers. If I wero to make certain Saturdays uniparade days, there would be a hundred times more squealing than there is now." Referring to the evasion of drills l)v trainees, Senator Pearce added that officers had found it neee-sary to be very careful in taking excuses from boys. They were not always trustworthy. Olheers are devising a system for checking attendances at parados with lists of boys who havo ■ibsented themselves from work on the Dlea. that they have hud to go to drill, it has been t'oiin ,, . in many cases that boys havo left work for drill when no drill was to be had. Kiiipioyor? havo been found generally ready to allow boys away from work when tney ore satKiied that the cause is reasonable.