Evening Post

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 60, 8 September 1905, Page 4

Evening Post

FRIDAJ, SEPTEMBER 8, 1905. OUR INADEQUATE DEFENCE. In brief and unpretentious, but somewhat abrupt and jerky fashion, the Commandant of th© Forces tells the story of hie command during the pa6t year in the Report which was laid on the table ; of the House of Representatives by tile Minister of Defence on Wednesday last. His strictures on the many weak points of our defence system are not quits so trenchant as in some of lais previous reports, and the faint praise of , " fairly satisfactory " coniee in with more frequency than before; but the general impression left by the report is, as in tne case of its predecessors,* profoundly unsatisfactory. Recommendations which have not been approved, and in some cases apparently not even considered by the Minister to whom they are made, are strewn through the report with quite the usual profusion. The following, for instance, is the first matter of importance mentioned in it :— " Important recommendations regarding the coast-de-fences of New Zealand have been submitted, but so far no decision regarding this matter has been received ; it is urgently required to enable the necessary works, etc., to be proceeded with.' Those porta it is decided upon to defend should be made secure. Such works as were in progress have during the past year made little advance, and until labour other than prison labour is employed, no change in regard to this can be expected." Turning to last year's report, wo find that the latter part of this story had already been told there in almost identical words :—": — " The progress made in defence- works -during the past year has again been unsatisfactory. The employment of prison labour ds the direct cause of this"; and in the report of 1903 is to be found an exact parallel to the first part of tho quotation— viz., " I regret it has not apparently been possible to consider my recommendations regarding coast 'defences." It is to the credit of Major-General Babington that he can go cheerfully on year after year making tho same recommendations to the deaf ears of tho Ministry. With regard to both the main branches of the Defence Forces he has made proposals which appoar to have met with the same fato as those just mentioned. "I have submitted proposals," he says, "for tl\e reorganisation of the Permanent Force," the present state of which is capable of improvement. These proposals contain recommendations regarding pay, extra-duty_ pay, promotion, and other matters pertaining to the interior economy and discipline of the Force. The conditions of a trust fund, to- secure men a bonus on retirement, are also outlined in the scheme" It is obvious that Ihe questions raised by fhese proposals touch tho very root of the efficiency of the Forco, and their urgency is emphasised by the statement of the Commandant that during tho year a largo number of man have left th 6 service in order to take employment on the tramways or in other capacities which offer improved pay and prospects. In the' same connection tho Commandant observes that "disciplinfe, too, suffers from the centralisation which exists with rogard to it as well as to the other parts of the Defence Force of the colony." It is interesting to find our highest military authority putting his finger upon the same radical blemish in our administrative system which confronts the civilian student of our politics at every turn, and the testimony is the more remarkable, as the autocratic element in a centralised system is not one in any way repu'gnnnt to the instinct of a fcolclior. It is not from sentiment or political theory that tlie Commandant condemns the system, but simply because ho sees that it impairs the effioioncy of tho military machine. Tho Minister of Defence, however, has moro important lrialters to think about .than the administration of his own Department, and tho abuses continue unchecked and probably unconsidered. Witl^ regard to tho volunteers also the suggestions of the Commandant have met with a'similar fajie. "I have also put forward," he cays, "a scheme for the reorganisation of the volunteer foTce, providing for a smaller but better trained force, and embodying in it proposals as TegaTds rifle clubs and cadet corps. We are not given any precise notion of the nature of this scheme, but the Commandant is satisfied that it would be "moro economical and pioduce a much moro efficient Force than the existing one," and decentralisation and the establishment of independent initiative aro again insisted on. Coming to details, we find that tho state of tho mounted troops is reported, except in one district, to bo " satisfactory "; that the shooting of the field artillery is " not as

satisfactory as it should be," largely owing to an insufficient allowance of ammunition; that the garrison artillery volunteers are keen, willing, and efficient, the shooting in some .companies being " good," in otheTS " very good " ; that the engineering companies are in "a 'Very fairly efficient state" ; that tbe state of the infantry volunteers is " very fairly satisfactory," the ishooting showing an improvement on the previous yeaT, but the physique of many members of the town corps being "not as satisfactory as might be desired " ; and that the oadet corpe have increased both in number and in efficiency. The cycle corps coma in for more cordial mention' than in any previous report, and a good word is even said for the rifle clubs, which are actually recommended for an additional grant of ammunition. Of tho medical, clothing, and transport departments, on the other hand, the Commandant has little that is fa-vourable to say.- "The medical equipment for the Forces ig far from complete, and no veterinary equipment exists. Supply and transport equipment is also wanting. . . . Under the present conditions of service, and without a permanent clothing factory in the colony, it is impossible to suggest a workable system of clothing fche Force." The conclusion of the whole matter is that " the present Defence Force of the colony is not an organised fightingforce." Tt is utterly deficient in organisation, discipline, and equipment, and until the country determines to get an effective return for the £200,000 which it annually devotes to the. purpose, ""and to that end secures a Minister of Defence who can give some time and attention to, his business, the efficiency of the Force will continue .to be confined to the parade ground.