COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15256, 17 March 1910, Page 7

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

HOW THE SCHEME WILL OPERATE.

WORK OF THE TRAINING CAMPS.

[Elton Oun Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, March 16,

Defence matters in the dominion aro just now in a complete transition stage. The Volunteers ceased to be, and were ! instantaneously resurrected by Act of Parliament as Territorials, but t-hero is a feeling of uncertainty about future operations. Tho military authorities aro unable to completely enlighten the public just now in regard to future developments, but it is clear from what has been dono 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 be cleared and full equipment provided, and a scale of pay lor camp attendances has been provided which will bring in more revenue to tho battalion eoiters. As soon as tho whole scheme becomes operative there need bo no more trouble about recruiting, for in the absence of Volunteers tho commander will simply requisition his district superior for the moil required to till tho dciiciency, and will get them from the general training section. Old Volunteers who aro still attached to their | company can remain under the new I anil improved conditions and need not I rctive until tho usual retiring age of I fifty is reached. Each regiment of the '■ Territorial forces will have attached to i it a permanent instructor. It is to the lion-Volunteers that tho now Defence Act will come as a call for self-sacrifice. Efficient Volunteers are to bo exempt from the compulsory training, but tiie young man who has not gone in for volunteering will now bo obliged to do a certain minimum amount; of military training. To make tho position clear, a case may be taken of a schoolboy. In the ' primary school, botween the ages of i twelve and fourteen, ho will be attach- : ed to the junior cadets. From fourteen ito eighteen his place will be in the j senior cadets. If he leaves school it makes no difference to his liability, he can still be attached to the local cadet I corps. On attaining the age of eighteen j tho youth will bo faced with an important problem, which he will bo free to solve as suits his 60iise of patriotism or his inclination to share the burden as well as tho privileges of citizenship. There aro three alternatives, one of which must bo selected—(l) Refuse military duty and suffer the penalties imposed by a court of (2) Join the Territorials (otherwise the Volunters under a new name), and train with them for three years in his own locality. (3) Await tho summons to tho 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 honourably avoiding training it is probable that a large proportion of young men will select their local Territorial force as tho training medium, but tho alternative, the camp, will be attractive enough to tiie 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 to tho present company drill. The raw material will learn how" to take sentry and outpost duty, to reconnoitre, to do efficient work with the rifle in the trenches, and aLso to handle the shovel to make the trenches. Tho ordinary attack and defence movements, including skirmishing, will bo practised, and the budding soldier taught to look after himself, both in regard to hygiene and tho proper utilisation of rations. No social position can bo rospectcd. All aro liable for service, and there will bo the same opportunity for everyone with a liking for military pursuits to continue them and secure promotion by merit, and merit only. There are 21,550 Volunteers or Territorials in tho dominion, but military experts are of opinion that 30,000 high-ly-trained men should be available If Now Zealand is to defend itself effectively, and the whole of this big force can be obtained by training the physically fit males between tho ages of seventeen and twenty-one. To equip tho increased number, more arms have to be imported, while the arrangement of training camps and provision for instruction is a big preliminary task before the eligible men can bo called upon to put in their training. A proclamation will shortly be issued calling upon all eligible persons to register their names with the prescribed oflieer. According to the Act, the enrolment upon the register of a school attended by tho individual is a sufficient registration, but failure to enrol under other circumstances rondors 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 bo given to the Volunteers of tho defence movement. One of the chief difficulties in carrying out the general scheme is tho liability to cause dislocation, or at any rate serious inconvenience in some branches of industry, but to avoid this tho general training period will bo spread over five or six months of tho year, and hatches of several hundreds taken periodically from tho different districts.

The preparation of the list of eligible males will go_ on almost immediately, and.it is anticipated that the first hatch of men will go to camp about tho beginning of next