THE TERRITORIALS

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 111, 12 May 1910, Page 2

THE TERRITORIALS

NEW DEFENCE SCHEME. FURTHER DETAILS. ! Further details in connection with the- new defence scheme are now available. They are as follow :—: — GARRISON ARTILLERY. Auckland and Wellington will each have three companies of garrison artillery, and Lyttelton, Westport, and Otago one each. The total strength of each company will be 100, made up follows : — Captains, 1 ; lieutenants, 2 ; second lieutenants, 1 ; company sergeantmajors, 1 ; sergeants, 5 ; trumpeters, 2 ; corporals, 5 ; bombardiers, 4 ; gunners, 79 ; total, 100. One permanent staff sergeant-major will be allotted to Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Otago, and Westport. Medical officers will be attached to districts as follows :—Auckland and Wellington, 2 each ; Lyttelton, Westport, and Otago, 1 each. FIELD ARTILLERY. The New Zealand field artillery will be formed into an establishment of four brigades, one brigade being allotted to each of the following glaces :—: — Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago. Each of these places will have i two batteries and an ammunition column. The headquarters staff of each brigade will be composed of one lieuten-ant-colonel, one orderly officer (lieutenant), one trumpeter, one corporal, two bombardiers, nine gunners, one fitter of wheels, six drivers for spare horses, two orderlies for medical officers, and one clerk, making a total of 25. Each battery will have five officers, including a major, eight sergeants, and a total rank and file of 132, and a total in all ranks of 145. Each ammunition I column will have a total strength of j 47, including five officers each. It will thus be seen that each brigade i will have a total strength of 362, or 1448 for the Dominion. Each battery will have four guns,.four ammunition wagons, one A.S. wagon, one cart, and 78 horses, including 42 draughts, l^nere will ba 165 horses for each brigade, or a total for the Dominion of 660. FIELD ENGINEERS. A field company of engineers will have a total strength of 212, the mounted branch consisting of 55 and the dismounted branch of 157. There will be six officers for each company, while the rank and file will consist of 45 mounted and 150 dismounted men. The establishment includes one N.C.O. and two men trained in signalling for internal communications. . MOUNTED RIFLE REGIMENT. The headquarters of a mounted regiment will consist of four officers, one warrant officer, six staff sergeants and 'eergeants, two artificers and five ranlc and file; total, 18. There will be 23 horses. There will be attached one medical and one veterinary officer. The machine-gun section will consist of one subaltern, one sergeant, and 11 rank and file. There will be one gun and 18 horses. The squadron will have six officers, 12 N.C.O.'s, 62 rank and file; a total of 80 of all ranks, with 93 horses. The total regiment will be made up as follows :—: — ' Total Strength.

INFANTRY BATTALION. Ail infantry battalion will consist of eight companies (each company having a total establishment of 84), a machinegun section, with a strength of 11, and a headquarters of 27. In all 710 of all ranks, with 49 hprses. Each company will have three- oScers, five sergeants, two buglers or drummers, and a rank and file of 74, including four- signaller^, two stretcher bearers (bandsmen), and two drivers for pack animals. One company in each battalion will have one corporal and three privates as signallers. In the remaining companies — one .of the four signallers may be a lance-corporal. Of the total battalion one NX'.O. and eight men will bo trained in.sanitary duties. The headquarters willi' consist of 26 — Five officers, one warrant officer, eight sergeants., and twelve rank and file. The adjutant and sergeant-major will belong to the permanent staff. A medical officer will be attached. The machine gun section will have a total strength of nine rank and file, one officer and one warrant officer. The transport will be composed of 19 vehicles, 23 draughts and 18 pack horses, and- there will be 29 drivers. MOUNTED BRIGADE FIELD AMBULANCE. Provision is made for a mounted brigade field ambulance (two sections). It will have a total strength of 39 and 31 horses. The transport will consist of four vehicles, five drivers, and seven horses. FIELD AMBULANCE. A field ambulance will have an establishment of 76, with 35 horses. Transport — 14 vehicles, 17 drivers, 25 horses. WELLINGTON DISTRICT. The Wellington district force will, in all probability, be* made up as follows : — Total strength. Garrison Artillery ... ... 300 Mounted rifle brigade (3 regiments) 1059 Mounted supply column ... 42 Mounted Held ambulance ... 39 Field artillery brigade... ... 165 Field engineer company ... 212 Infantry brigade (4 battalions) 2840 Infantry signalling company ... 20 Infantry supply column (mixed) 43 Field ambulance 76 Total 4796

The Stratford Post observes' that in common with Father o'Fly.nn, of deathless memory. Dr. Valintine, InspectorGeneral of Hospitals, has "a wonderful way wid him," and, as one councillor put it at the close of a recent conference there, "knows how to talk over a Taranaki local body." Without exactly admitting this 6ott impeachment, the genial doctor did smilingly confess that if there was tv new departure he wished to have made, he liked to come to Taranaki to start the ball rolling, "because the people here know me and I know them." Tha conference- referred to was held for the purpose of discussing a 6cheme submitted by Dr. Valintine in connection with the health inspection of tho district, and judging by the tone of the discussion there^eeems but little doubt that, so far at anyrate as the Borough Council is c-6n-cerned, tho Inspector-General's scheme was viewed with very considerable lavour. Dr. Valiatine was particularly strong on the point that Hospital Boarde. having to look after tho sick, ought to have the power to take what steps they thought necessary for removing causes likely to produce sickness — a principle that will no xioubt be cordially affirmed by every Hospital Board in >the Dominion.

Headquarters (mcl tached) Maxim gun section Four squadrons lud ding at- ... 20 ... 13 ... 320 Total regiment Total horses ... ... 353 ... 416