DEFECTIVE DEFENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 67, 17 September 1906, Page 5

DEFECTIVE DEFENCE.

WORK FOR A ROYAL COMMISSION. (By "Maxim.")' All persons interested in the welfare of the colony will be glad to hear of the promised reformation in defence mftttera, and 'Tvill await with interest the promulgation of the reforms foreshadowed by the Defence ilinieter. Those who view with apprehension the defenceless state of the colony, and who recognise that any safety we might be fortunate enough to enjoy in war time would be due to the forbearance of the enemy — suffrance or some uthor fortunate exigency — rather than to our own strength or efforts, will hail with satisfaction any endeavour to remedy the disgraceful and lamentable state of inefficiency so long and notoriously rampant throughout the Defence Department and its admjnistjation, -which has resulted in what might be p, thoroughly officient and splendid force being of little more value as a protection than the uniform it wears. The larger portion of taxpayers who now view -with dissatisfaction and economical apprehension the enormous and ever-increasing annual sums thrown away in defence will feel relieved by any scheme by which the expenditure can be brought within reasonable limits and applied where, when, and how it is needed. The Minister for Defence has had some slight experi-enco as a volunteer in the past, but tins was long before defence assumed anything like its present dimensions. This knowledge, however Blight, he will doubtless turn to advantage) i?at his acquaintance with tlio present requirements of the force cannot be founded on experience, nor can the causes that have been so long in operation and that still psejudically affect its efficiency bo known or appreciated by a mere interested onlooker euch as he has been in the recent past. The long history of the gradual institution of defence to party politics and personal ends cannot be known to him or to the public, although both have doubtless an uneasy feeling that skeletons are hid away in cupboards amongst official and almost unknown documents In an equally hazy state of fog is that system of wasteful expenditure by which money was so freely and dexterously tbrovrn a-xi-oy -ci-itt tt» rigUt hone! in tbo name of defence to be caught, conjurorlike, with the sinister hand, and transformed into votes and political support, whilst the deluded audience looked on, and applauded, mid said "How wonderlul!" So it was. Knqwledge of the existence of these things baa been gradually dawning on the public ; suspicion "is awakening, and slowly formulating into a desire that will presently grow into a determined demand that the whole ques- 1 tion of defence shall be ventilated and enquired into — not that the Opposition may wrangle over it, nor in the Interests of any party, but in tho interest, welfare, and (safety of the colony, in the interests of the Empire, and for encouragement and satisfaction of the defence force, which has hitherto existed in hope of v reformation, eventually to succumb to disappointment and disgust. Tho Minister for Defence has valiantly undertaken the Herculean task of cleansing the Augean stables. If he menna I to do so thoroughly he has accepted a great task, and possibly one beyond his strength and desire. Beyond his strength, for he may sicken and turn away as coon as the "muck" and offal is turned up; perhaps beyond his desire, because, expecting large deposits of such matter, he may deem if. more expedient to use. some verbal disinfectant and rely upon a good covering of Ministerial assertion to keep it out of sight and smell of tho public, and there let it rot and fester as it has so long been doing Tf, on the other hand, he is in earnest for a radical reformation, he will have a thorough cleaning, and will turn out the rubbish that has been accumulating during the terms of his predecessors. Ue may thus nt once establish his position with the public, and the members of the defence force, and gain the confidence of both; raising to a proper estimate of its importance a department that has been ever scoffed at by and viewed with indifference by the general public, and with ridicule and distrust by the volunteers. In place of this, a new feeling of rospect and appreciation will permeate the public as regards our force, and the latter will realise for the first time that it is a real force, that it exists, and oxiste only, for defenco, and that the Defence Minister's one object is to obtain and insist that it is competent to perform its duty, juso, that he is equally determined to perform his duty, for which he is responsible to the King and the people of the colony, and will do so without pandering to party interests or sacrificing the dignity of his office to politicnl exigencies. Then playing nt soldiers will cease, and working 1 at defence commence. The colony will obtain tht»t which it has so long lacked — defenco — and will find tho genuine article will cost but half the spurious. How is the wished-for consummation to be achieved? By new regulations? No . If it were so, we should now have almost daily increasing efficiency Simply by the appointment of a Royal Commission with full power to make the most exhaustive enquiry into (1) the past adminietratiou of the Defence Department; (2) the collection of such evidence, information, and qualified opinions as may be useful for its future guidance and control. It may be objected that reformation can bo carried out without raking up things that havo happened in the past. In some instances this is true, and to' disturb a. cesspool so as to allow tho- public to analyse or gloat over it® contents would be both unnecessary and morbid; but in order to effect a radical cure iv the case of defenco every particle of the parasitic growth must bo removed to ensure it not growing again. Moreover, in this case the public will demand that the question of defenco be once and for ever set right. Scandals and rumours of scandals have been so long in the air that -nothing short of a complete, full, and independent enquiry will ever completely restore the public confidence in the administration of this most unfortunate department. It will then be seen that many actions for which there was no apparent reason were done without the recommendation of the commandant or experts, and that glaring wants and urgent necessities, evident even to a novice, were left undone in the face of repeated and urgent recommendation. Uneasy feelings aro entertained" that even accidents involving loss of life might have boen averted if the recommendations of those qualified and paid to-'advjae, hod been followed. II is a matter of such general acceptance that it passe 3 without comment, that persons havo been thrust into positions for which they wero totally unfitted, and this in direct opposition to* tho recommendations of those whose duty it was to advice, and to tho detriment of defence. Corps havo disbanded, and good officers havo resigned in disgust because their right and duty to enforce tho simplest acts of discipline, such as nominal firfes, was peremptorily abrogated when tho delinquent wnfi a supporter of the Government. Valid causes of long and deep dissatisfaction could! bo detailed ad nauseam, but enough have been pointed out to show the necessity for full and open enquiry. Unnlooeaut as the ta^k would doubtles* bo, it is thus only — by unflinchingly bringing to daylight the maladministration of the past, and then assisted by tho evidence and opinions ot those qualified and interested in defence, and tho report and recommendations of .tho en&uirx &ft to future administrfttion^

taking effective means to prevent its recurrence — that the Minister would start hia career in defence on a firm and stable foundation, strong in the confidence , of the public and tue- defence force. It is hardly necessary to say that, to be effective and satisfying, the functions of the commission must be as ample as possible and its powers of the fullest, it must be strong and independent, and for this reason should be composed of men in no way connected with the New Zealand defence forces or with Parliament, for both are interested. If possible, let the enquiry be as- soon as it can be, jso that the present commandant could give evidence if he bo desired beforo his departure from the colony. It may be noted in conclusion that the Commonwealth lately appointed a commission on defence, although tho need of enquiry was not so apparent as it is here.