DEFENCE FORCE REPORT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 173, 6 July 1912, Page 3

DEFENCE FORCE REPORT.

THE GENERAL HAS NO COMPLAINT. THE C. ST STILL CURTAE ED. [SV TELEGRAPH SPECIAL.] Wellington, July 5. The report on the Defence Forces by General Godley was presented to Parliament to-day. The training, says the General, has been so far entirely of an elementary nature, practically confined to recruits. The present strength of of the New Zealand Staff Corps is 66. It is proposed to raise the complement to 100 only and through the Australian Military College.

As the result of the first examination of officers, the British War Office reports that it is gratifying to note that the work of twenty-one New Zealand officers who attended was verv creditable.

In referring to the Territorial training camps, the General earnestly trusts that employers will in future make every effort and sacrifice to enable their employees to go to the camps of their own regiment.

The General cannot speak too highly of the zeal, energy and goodwill found everywhere, both among instructors and recruits. The progress made is far greater than anticipated, confirming his opinion of ■emarkable aptitude of the New Zealand youth for military work. On matter of parade and drills the General says it will be a matter for consideration and local adjustment whether it may not be possible, without incurring any extra expense, to make some modification in the direction of lumping parades and drills by a few extra days in camp.

DEMILITARISING THE CADETS Regarding the cadets he is very strongly of the opinion that up to the age of fourteen training should be chiefly in physical drill and not of a military character. He thinks that Boj- Scout methods may be adopted in a great measure ' the training of both Senior and Junior Cadets, and he has given instructions that training should : e conducted on those lines. COAST DEFENCES.

The General states he intends to supplement the coast defences with mobile armament. On the arrival of he new field guns the fifteen-pound-ers will be issued for this purpose. The latest advice he received was .hat eight eighteen-pounder field ?uns for Auckland and Hamilton, and four eighteen-pounders for Invercargill had been dispatched from London on May 13th. MEDICAL EXAMINATION.

As a result of the medical examinition five per cent, were classed as otally unfit for duty, 60 per cent it for Territorial forces and 35 per. lent fit for rifle club service. MUSKETRY TRAINING AND AVIATION. Early next summer the General hopes to be able to put in hand musketry training. The question of aviation is under consideration. The General does lot propose to make a definite recommendation or incur expenditure ’or aeroplanes until next year. He will also shortly make definite •ecommendations with regard to military wireless stations. The General wishes it clearly unlerstood that he does 'not recommend any increase in the amount of training next year. He is confident .hat the normal annual expenditure m Territorials, Cadets, and the ifle force need not exceed the imount originally submitted by Lord Kitchener. COMING YEAR’S OPERATIONS.

The .experience gained during the >ast year shows that in this as in ill other countries in the world the ate autumn is as a rule the most suitable time for holding the annual lamps which should be the climax >f the training season. Considerable atitude was given to commanding ifficers in choosing the dates of their 'amps as it was realised that we vere of necessity in an experimenal stage and that we must gain nir experience in that way. The idvantages of holding the camps luring the late autumn are that the harvest is over, the military season k drawing near its slackest time, he end of the financial' year has been passed, and the greatest part if the military year has been available for putting in the required mmbcr of drills and parades, vhieh, in a proper scheme of progressive training, must all precede he annual camp. The only disadvantage is that the days are shorter md the weather probably colder md wetter than in the summer, but his is a disadvantage common to lutnmn camps and manoeuvres in ill countries and cannot be helped. UNDER CANVAS IN THE AUTUMN.

May is, however, the latest month n which camps can be held. Afier hat not only does it become mo ■old and wet but it is not ossi'>U o further postpone the posting and beginning of the training of ire (uota of recruits of the following rear. Arrangements will therefore probably be made for next year’s artillery, engineers, and infantry 'amps to be held during March and April, and for the mouhted camps in April and May, the latter being mt last because they contain the 'argest proportion of'men engage! n the farming and dairying industries. Should the harvest be early it may be possible to hold the camps earlier. BRIGADE CAMPS TO BE HELD. Brigade camps will be held, ecomony of money and instruction and in creased efficiency being thereby attained. while at the same time, opportunity will be afforded to the brigade commanders to exercise their commands. With this object in view sites for camps must be selected which will give room for the exercise in open country of considerable bodies of troops. During the past year many of the camp sites, though admirably suited for the preliminary

instruction and recruit drill which was carried out, afforded little or no opportunity for work in the deli. PROGRESSIVE STAGES.

The question of the combined training of all arms must, as far at the camps are concerned, wait till the year 1913-1914. The stages of the inception of the new scheme of training must be progressive. In the meantime during the forth coming Summer months of 1912-1913 district commanders will arrange for combined exercises of the three arms in connection with the carrying out of the requisite number of half-day and whole day parades. CONSULTING WITH EMPLOYERS. I propose in the near future to consult employers of labour, farmers, etc., on this subject and to work out the details as regards expenditure, I shall then be in a position to report to you more definitely on the question. REGISTRATION FIGURES, The registration of all youths available for training up to the 31st May has resulted as follows

From, the latest census returns available it appears that 27,080 bebetween the ages of 18 and 21 were liable for registration as Territorials and 35,698 between the ages of 14 and 18 as Senior Cadets. CORDIAL CO-OPERATION.

In conclusion, says the General, I wish to bring especially to youi notice the excellent work that has been done by all the permanent and non-commissioned officers, and by the civilian staffs of the Depart ment in initiating the new scheme. Those who were taken on locally in order to start it have almost without exception justified their selection. I do not think that the magnitude of the undertaking has been generally realised, and I am convinced that had it not been for the tact, loyalty and increasing hard work o! all those who have been concerned in its inception there would have been little chance of its having become practically an assured success. The success has also been due in great measure to the interest and cordial co-operation shown by Territorial officers of all ranks, most o’ whom, I am glad to say. have taken their military responsibilities very seriously. They evidently de not intend that their military knowledge shall suffer more than car possibly be helped from the fact that they are not able to devote all theii time to soldiering.

TerriSenior District. torials. Cadets. Totals Auckland .. 7,665 9.018 16,683 Canterbury 6,649 7,6)3 14,262 Otago . 6,084 6,451 12,535 Wellington.. 8,202 10,115 18,317 Totals .. . 28,600 33,197 61,797