COMPULSORY TRAINING

Evening Star, Issue 14318, 17 March 1910, Page 8

COMPULSORY TRAINING

BOW THE SCHEME WILL OPERATE. WORK OP THE TRAINING CAMPS. [Special to tub Stab.] WELLINGTON. March 17. Defence matters in the Dominion are just now in a complete transition stage. The volunteers ceased to be, and were instantaneously resurrected by Act of Parliament as Territorials, but there is a feeling of uncertainty about future operations, The military authorities are unable to completely enlighten the public just-now in regard to future developments, but it is clear, from what has been done so far that the Territorials, otherwise the volunteers, have an immensely improved status. Capitation has been substantially increased, so as to enable old liabilities to he cleared and full equipment provided. ;rnd a scale of pay for camp attendance has been provided which will bring in more revenue to the battalion coffers. ‘ As soon as the whole scheme becomes operative there need be no more trouble about. recruiting, for, in the absence of volunteers, the commander will simply requisition his district superior for the men required to fill the deficiency, and will get them from the general training section. Old volunteers who are still attached to their company ran remain under the new and improved conditions, and need not retire until tho usual retiring ago of fifty. is_ reached. Each regiment of the Territorial Forces will have attached to it a permanent instructor. It is to tho non-volunteer that the now Defence Act will come as a call for self, sacrifice. Efficient volunteers are to bo exempt from compulsory training, but tho young man who has not gone in for volunteering will now be obliged to do a certain minimum amount of military training. To make tho position clear wo will trace a schoolboy through tho various stages of his development in the primary school. Between the ages of twelve and fourteen he will be attached to the junior cadets; from fourteen to eighteen his place will bo in the senior cadets. If he leaves school it makes no difference to his liability; he can still be attached to the local cadet corps. Upon attaining the age of eighteen the youth will be faced with an important problem, which ho will be free to iolve as suits his sense of patriotism or his disinclination to share the burden as well as the privileges of citizenship. These are the three alternatives, one of which must be selected;—(l) Refuse military duty and suffer the penalties imposed by a court of law; (2) join the Territorials (otherwise the volunteers under a new name), and train with them for three years in his own locality; (o) await the summons to the general training camp, and put in fourteen days annually under military instructors and camp discipline, and twelve half-days at the nearest Territorial centre. As there is no way of honorably avoiding training, it is probable that a large proportion of young men will select their local Territorial force as the training medium; but the alternative, the camp, will bo attractive enough to the average healthy individual, and his experience of it will make him better fitted for his civil, as well as military, obligations. The camp work will bo under the instruction of members of the Permanent Force, and will probably take lines similar ;o the present company drill. The rawmaterial will learn how to take sentry and outpost duty, to reconnoitre, to do efficient work with tho rifle in the trenches, and also to handle the shovel to make the trenches. The ordinary attack and defence movements, including skirmishing, will be practised, and the budding soldier taught to look after himself, both in rejam to hygiene and the proper utilisation .'1 rations. No social position can bn rejected —all are liable for service, and there will be the same opportunity for sveryone with a liking for military pursuits to continue them and secure promo•lion by merit, and merit only. There are 21,550 Volunteers or Territorials in the Dominion, but the military experts are of opinion that 30.000 highly trained men should be available if New Zealand is to defend itself effectively, and the whole of this big force can be obtained by training the physically-fit males between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. To equip the increased number more arms have to be imported, while the arrangement of training camps and provision tor instruction is a big preliminary task before the eligible men can be Tailed upon to put in their training. A proclamation will shortly be issued calling apon ail eligible persons to register their lames with the prescribed officer, according to the Act. The enrolment upon the register of a school attended by the individual is a sufficient registration, but failure to enrol under circumstances Venders the defaulter liable to a fine. As a man who serves in the Territorials will not bo required to put in time at the training camp, it. is anticipated that a great impetus will be given to the volunteer side of the defence movement._ One of the chief difficulties in carrying out the general scheme is the liability to cause dislocation, or at any rate lerioua inconvenience, in some branches of industry; but to avoid this the general training period will be spread over five or its months of the year, and batches of leverai hundreds taken periodically from the different districts. The preparation of the list of eligible males will go in almost immediately, and it is anticipated that the first batch of men will go to samp about tho beginning of next year.