KITCHENER.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1130, 10 March 1910, Page 4

KITCHENER.

New Zealand's Defence

HIS KEPOftT.

All Interesting Letter

Hepeats His Australian Scheme.

Not Extravagant

" Within the Means of the Dominion." iSo Says the Premier.

Who Eeviews'the Scheme

in an interview.

PER PEESS ASSOCIATION. Rotorua, March 9. The report of Field Marshal Lord Kitchener upon the defence of New Zealand was to-day handed by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) to a special representative of the New Zealand Herald, who waited on him at Rotorua in order to secure the same. Sir Joseph also gave to the Herald representative an interesting interview, in which be discussed the probable cost to the Dominion, of adopting Lord Kitchener's scheme, besides other aspects of the questions raised. The Field Marshal's report in the main consists of an application to New Zealand of Part I. of his Australian defence report, and it is accompanied by the following covering letter, dated March 2, addressed to Sir Joseph Ward. A KITCHENER LETTER. HOW NEW ZEALAND APPEARS TO HIM. STRENGTH AND STAFF. Dear Sir Joseph Ward,—l do not think it is necessary to write you a special memorandum on the defence of New Zealand, as from what I ha-ve seen during my inspection the necessity for improved training is just as equally marked in this country as in Australia. It appears to me that for your land forces New Zealand and Australia should adopt homogenous military systems, in order to be able to efficiently support one another in the event of national danger. The desirability of such co-operation is evident by reason of the geographical position of the two countries.

Moreover, the young men of NewZealand and Australia, though showing some markedly diffierent oharac- ! teristies, are in both countries splendid material for creating a first-rate fighting machine, for the conditions j of their country life are very similar, i producing successful pioneers accus- j tomed to make the land supply the i wants of man. I think, therefore, that uniformity in training and establishments of units as well as the closest ties of comradeship in the armed land forces of New Zealand and Australia should be fostered in every way. These considerations point to New Zealand sending tlxose cadets destined to be instructors of hevi citizens to the Australian West Point College, wliich I have recomended the Commonwealth Government should institute, and which I believe they are about to establish.

It is. quite evident that the wants of New Zealand in this respect are not sufficient to create a college where the tramiijtg of the nature required can be properly imparted. This will be seen from the fa-cifc that working on the lines suggested for Australia a suitable number of areas in New Zealand would be about 55 — i.e., approximately 30 in the North and 25 in the South Island. An area should, of course, provide the same quotas as are recommended for Australia, and it follows that the permanent instructional officers required for area work alone would be 55 subalterns and captains and six majors. The 30 permanent officers' jnow employed the permanent forces, district, and headquarters staffs will also be wanted.

I should, therefore, recommend an eventual establishment for the New Zealand Staff Corps of a hundred officers, being the 91 accounted for above, plus 10 per cent, to allow for the deputation of officers to train with unite in India and the United Kingdom, sickness, etc By ranks this establishment will work out at: Colonels, 3; lieutenant-colonels, 6; majors, 13; captains, 26; lieutenants, 52 ; Total, 100. The maintenance of this number will require an annual supply of about five officers, so that to allow for the selection of the best men I would recommend that NewZealand should send ten cadets annually to the Australian College, from whom five would ultimately be chosen for commissions in the Staff Corps. You have so recently had the views of the "War Office on the land forces of New Zealand that I do not deem it necessary to point out the considerations which, govern the defence of this Dominion. You will find, however, that Bart I. of the project wliich I gave to the ComnuMOTeaMi Government, and which T now enclose and recommend-to you,,does not 3iffer from the War Office .memoran-

dmn in any matters of importance; but it will, I hope, afford you a prac- ' tical scheme for giving effect to yonr defence measures. At the risk of repetition, I wish , again to emphasise the importance of placing the ideal of your defence on as high a standard of efficiency as possible, in order that the men serving, as well as the public, may have a just pride in. the fighting yahie of .the force, and so insist upon the observance of the important principle that defence should be outside party politics, and not used by individuals for political purposes. A thorouglily trained and efficiently equipped force should be the supreme object of your efforts, and no personal considerations should for a moment bo alLowe-d to stand in the iv r ay. It only remains for me to thank you most sincerely for the facilities afforded me on my visit, and for the .assistance which I have everywhere received iij. ihf inspection of your defences and troops. I >shall always remember with much gratification njy association iritli the forces of this Dominion. I shall follow their progress with the keenest interest, and I shall be only too glad at any time to give such further advice or assistance as may be in my power. I forward herewith a separate confidential communication on the subject of the fixed defences of New Zealand.— Yours truly, Kitchener . THE PREMIER'S VIEWS. ON THE COST. AFTER SEVEN YEARS, £470,000 PER. ANNUM. NO INCREASED TAXATION NEEDED. Interviewed by the New Zealand Herald representative on Lord Kitchener's memorandum, in conjunction with the portion of the Australian ■Report attached (hereto, the Prime Minister first wont into the matter of cost entailed \iy>on the Dominion by f adopting the Field Marshal's proposals. ' ' ! Speaking generally (he said), figures contained in the Australian report require to be divided by four to arrive at the cost to New Zealand. In other words, we may calculate it at one-fourth the areas, one-fourth I the men, one-fourth the expense, one-fourth the brigades and . regiments, field,' and Howitzer batteries, and one-fourth the total number of guns recommended for Australia. That gives the position as nearly as possible what the general results, of the system would be in its application to the internal defence of New Zealand. The approximate cost to the Dominion of Lord Kitchener's schema would amount in the seventh year after it has been in operation to £470,000 per aiiHuni, This included for New Zealand a margiij. ot safety of £25,000, as its proportion under "miscellaneous," Lord Kitchener having allowed £100,000 under this heading in the Australian proposals. The annual cost of the military college (£15,000) is also included in the Australian report, but I am not making the deduction of that sum; so that gives an additional £15,000 by way of a safety margin. The total amount provided on this year's estimates for defence in New Zealand amounts to £202,618, and in addition to that I intimated in the i i Financial Statement that a further I sum of the permanent additional cost j of internal defence, amounting to .£150,000 per annum, would be required, this additional sum to extend ! over three years at the rate of £50,- ---! 000 per year so that, to provide a ! full marrrin of safety in the figures as ! supplied by Lord Kitchener in the seventh year of the operation of the new sckeifco of defence, wo would require at that period (assuming that the whole details of the scheme are carried out) the sum of £470,000 per year but I may further state in#t in these figures the item material only for fixed defences- in Australia is stated at £400,000 for the seventh year. It would not at that period amount to anything like that sum. Approximately. £10,000 would be more than adequate in our case. Speaking efter a close examination into the details as suggested by Lord Kitchener for Australia, and en a comparison with thise proposed in the . -War Office scheme (which is already i provided for in our legislation for the internal defence of New Zealand). I arrive at the conclusion that the additional amount per year necessary :n New Zealand to carry out this scheme of Lord Kitchener's 'would commence at about £25,000 per year, and in seven years would run xip to abo'it £125,000 beyond what is proposed to be paid under the system of internal defence now in operation. This covers both the land forces and the permanent harbour defences. The whole of the £125,000 woukl not be. an annual cost, but it is difficult to | say at present how much less it would be. I think, however, it would be safe to estimate it at £100,000 a year.

The Prime Minister said he was having the v,-nole of the details of Lord Kitchener's scheme worked out under their respective headings, so that by the time Parliament meets the fullest information would be availgiving the- actual cost to the Dominion of tlie scheme fully applied. Meantime, he thought the figures he had given might be accepted as the probable cost to New Zealand. These figures were on the safe side, because. 1 as would be found 011 examination of ] Part I. of the Australian report, some ! of tho detailed expenditure required in the Commonwealth (and for which no deduction had been made by him in •estimating the cost to New Zealand) weald not be necessary even 1,0 tho extent of one-fourth.

"However," said Sir Joseph, one thing is quite certain—and I think the people of New Zealand geuerAlly will endorse what I say—that if we are to have an effective system of defence for New ,Zealand, the life, experience and sound judgment of the distinguished soldier who has fnrni'sh•ed so valuable a report should be authoritatively accepted as the lines upon wlricn we should go. It would bo but an idle delusion to expect that ■we can attain an efficient working scheme without paying for the cost of it. Witb the ordinary expaneiGngoino; on in New Zealand and the natural increase in our revenue, I do not think there is likely to be any necessity for increased taxation to bear the cost of the- scheme. In any case, the bringing into force of vho fiull proposals would be gradual. It cannot be done right off the bat, so to speak."

"1 think there will be a. general consensus of opinion," continued the Prime Minister, ";is to the desirability of N&w Zealand and Australia adopting the homogenous military system, so far as the land forces are concerned, as it is of the first consequence that the system in both connSo also will the view expressed regarding Now Zealand availing itself of the proposed West Point Military College, to be established i\\ the Commonwealth, for the seiidiiig ' of" ten cadets annually to that College, from whom five are to be selected for commissions in the Staff Corps. This, of course, would not prevent New Zealand from adopting the system of military training at its universities, as that would be a most valuable education for those from whom selections for commissions in the Staff Corps could be made. It is, I think, selfevident that to fully equip a military college in New Jjealand for the military education of only ten cadets annually is> oj.lt of the. question at sent,'Sir Joseph Ward, said tliat he was having prepared a statement snowing the material points- of difference between the views of the War Office and the recommendations of Lord Kitchener on the land forces of New Zealand. When the whole details were set out side by side it would then be possible to consider tne Fieljl Marshal's proposals seriatim. With the views expressed by Lord Kitchener as to keeping the defence question conipletely outside party politics, Sir Joseph thoroughly agreed. He could oni yhope that the country would be able to do what was required in the matter of defence without the importation of any political feeling upon the important question. It should lie above all party politics, affecting, as it did, so seriously every class of citizen in the Dominion. Questioned as to the details of Lord Kitchener's report on harbour defences, the Prime Minister intimated that these were of a confidential nature, and could not be disclosed. "I will only Kay," he remarked, "that Lord Kitchener's recommendations under this heading are valuable. Obviously, however, they must be regarded as secret, as to publish them would mean handing information over to those outside tho country who ought not to ;get possession of 'it. For that reason the confidential naturo of 1 the report must bo respected. 1 may I add that Lord Kitchener's recommenf'dations in connection with harbour defences, besides being valuable, are quite within the means of the Dominion to adopt. I have included in my esti in ate of cost the anticipated expense of ijs well as internal defences.." '