ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. LOCAL BRANCH FAVOURED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 63, 12 September 1911, Page 7

ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE. LOCAL BRANCH FAVOURED.

"That a Wellington branch of the Royal Navy Reserve is necessary and should bo established." This remit from the Timarii branch of the Navy League Was responsible for a discussion at the Dominion Conference to-day. Mr. G. N. G. Arbcr, who moved the motion, remarked -that there was much waste in training, as the men who left the Pioneer were discharged instead of being , placed in a reserve body. All the technical knowledge wae sometimes taken to a farm, where it would be practically useless. A contribution of men in the way of reservists would form a closer bond than a financial pay* ment. New Zealand would then be do. ing something of it* duty. The Rev. E. E. Chambers said the proposal could not be carried out unless there was a local navy. Mr. J. Napier (Auckland) said the matter had engaged the attention of his league for many years, and resolutions in its favour had been adopted. Before interviewing the Minister for Defence, they (Should agree to some suggestion by which the proposal could be carried out. The motion was carried. Mr. Chambers thought that the Government should register >the rtservists who had served five years and received in that time £250. This was double the sum paid by the British authorities. It was resolved^ on the motion of Mr. Arber—- **That this conference- points out to the Government ,the advisableness of organising the seafaring popuplation of the country into a permanent trained force of naval reservists, and suggest that this be formed in the following way :— (a) Of those men who have put in a period of five years' training in one of His Majesty's ships, (b) That encouragement should be given both to officers and men of the mercantile marine to undergo an annual training on His Majesty's vessels, with the object of their becoming members of tho Naval Reserve, (c) To urge upon tho Government and the electoral districts that, haying in -view New Zealand's geographical situation, it is plain that it is now necessary i!o lay the foundation of a great seafaring population by affording additional sea-training faciti- ! ties, &nd giving encouragement to at j least those of the youth of the Dominion who desire it. (d) That a drill-ship larger than the Amoktu-a bo procured." Mr. Arber was not in favour of compulsory training at sea. Mr. W. Eraser expressed himself in favour of the compulsory training, and no one should be freed from it. If training on sea were to be taken as optional to compulsory training on land, iiij^lS^ be^cpmfittlsor^iQ qriftciptof. «.