THE TERRITORIALS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16479, 19 February 1914, Page 9

THE TERRITORIALS.

SENIOR. '.CADETS,

INSPECTIONS BY GENERAL GODLEY.

, Major-General Godley arrived in Christchurch yesterday morning from Wellington, making a tour 'of inspection, and at noon he visited Christ's College, whore he inspected three Cadet companies. He was accompanied by Captain W. C. Finuis and Lieutenant T. Rhodes. A guard of honour met him at the gates, and. ho ii.rst viewed a detachment of the younger .boys at drijl. The inusketry drill, work with landscape targets and otner details of the training were inspected, while the' Cadet Bugle Band was also inspected. Last night he proceeded to Kaiapoi and ltangiora to 'inspect Senior .Cadet companies there, and afterwards returned to Christchurch.

To-day he will go .south to inspect £he cadets at Ashburton and Fairiie, followed on. Monday by an inspection of the Geraldinc Cadets. (hi Tuesday he will proceed to Mount Tovlesse to inspect the site of the coming Territorial camp! AT KAIAPOI. .The Kaiapoi Divkion of No. 9 Company Defence Cadets, twenty-eight strong, under Captain H. Oram and Lieutenants A. L. Gray and "\V. Stout, paraded at the Kaiapoi riHe rango last night before General Godley, whose aidu-de-cainp was Lisutenant Tahu Rhodes. The Staff officers present were Captain Wheeler and SergeantMa jor Cliappelhcw. , A squad was given musketry practice, and the division was also inspected. General Godley congratulated the cadets on their excellent turnout and soldierly bearing. They were the first Cadet division he had seen shoot in the dominion, and he was glad to see the intelligent interest they had in their work. He felt sure that in the parade before General Sir lan Hamilton they would do credit to Kaiapoi. To acquit ; „ themselves well was a duty they owed to their town. . ' ....

AT RANGIORA

NEW RANGE WANTED

RIFLE CLUB DEPUTATION* TO GENERAL GODLEY.

General Godley, after the inspection of the Kaiapoi Cadets, motored to Rangiora, accompanied by Captain Wheeler 'and Lieutenant Rhodes, and inspected the 25th Company of Cadets.

On arrival the,officers were met by the Mayor, Mr J. Sansom, members of the Borough Council, Mr F. -Howell, chairman of the County Council, and other prominent residents of the town, who had gathered to show their appreciation of the beneficial training the lads in the company were receiving. General Godley expressed his pleasure at his reception, and invited the Mayor to accompany him during his inspection.; ■

The parade strength of the company was sixty-six rank and file. Major Humphreys and Lieutenants Breach and Lace,were the officers in command. The Cadets were put through physical exercises in the drill hall by Ser-geant-Ma jor Franks, and were afterwards taken outside for marching exercises and.company .drill in -Victoria Street'. "'"' '";..''':'.....-"'..'"J' .V" 1 "'

At the conclusion of the drill General Godley, addressing - Major Humphreys and the different companies, said that he was very pleased indeed with the drill, the physical exercises having been particularly well done. The general appearance of. the company had given. him much :pleasure,. ;the steadiness shown in -tire ranks- being specially commendabler- He urged the" lads'.to stick to their drill with the determination to become thoroughly efficient. Rifles would be'served out to them shortly, and he would remind them that the soldier's first duty was to take a pride in keeping his arms in good order, and to learn to handle them smartly. The Mayor and councillors; had done •the. company the, honour to attend' the parade : to .show .their interest in it's welfare, and the lads should show their appreciation by deciding to make the company one of the best. When the inspection by General Sir lan Hamilton took place in Christchurch, the Rangiora people would look for their colours to go by, and would expect the company to be one of the smartest .on . parade. He hoped, they would npt be, .disappointed, .and that-the lads would, do credit to their officers and to the town. ■:.

The Mayor also spoke, expressing; the pleasure felt at. the'General's visit,"and at listening to his appreciative remarks regarding the turnout of the company and ite efficiency at drill. The want of a rifle range in the vicinitv of Rangier?!, since...the old. one ■ had been closed, had . been.a. serious drawback, but pleased.to, be in a position state tliat.Ge.neiral Gpdley had promised to use his influence to get the proposed new. range in the Ashley riverbed put in order as soon a 6 possible.

After the Mayor had spoken the company returned to the hall and was dismissed.

Before leaving for Christchnrch General Godley received a deputation from the Defence Rifle- Club in connection with the hew range, and repeated the. promise made to the Mavor to give the matter his attention directly" he returned to WelliniQcton. Majors T. -It. GressweTl and B. Jordan were present at the parade.

MILITARY TRAINING.

GENERAL GQDLEY'S WISH. TO MAKE THE SYSTEM AS ACCEPTABLE, AS POSSIBLE. Speaking to a reporter the General said the trouble with the young men who objected to military training continued to some extent, but he felt that most of the lads and their friends were beginning to realise that the military authorities were doing their best to administer the system without friction. A good deal had been made of one particular case that had been before the .Christchurch people for some time, but as far as he could gather no discrimination had bean made against any defaulter. Anything of the kind would be, of course, highly improper and would not be countenanced eitncr by the Minister or himself! The administration of this part of the lawwas the work of the civil authorities,not of the military authorities, but he was naturally anxious to have the system working smoothly, and he was always ready, even at the risk of being accused' of poking -his nose into other people's .business,, to make inquiries and to assist in putting right anything that might be found to be wrong. ''Military airs," which sometimes were laid to the charge of the officers, were not encouraged in the Territorial Force. The general had noticed the subleader in the " Lyttolton Times " that morning and ho could say that he entirely approved of the sentiments -ex-i pressed by the paper; The editor might, however, make his mind quite easy

about the imnortation of Imperial officers. His 'ideal, like that of the "Lyttelton Times." was to see toe New 'Zealand citizens' army staffed by New Zealand officers.- He'hoped that at the end of a vcar, or-at most at the end of two years, this would be practically the ca*e and that New Zealanders would bs able to regard their army in every resoect as " their very own." The ambition was a very proper one and one he would be glad to help in realising. An cccasional exchange of officers might be desirable, but just as good men could bo produced in New Zealand as.could be produced in anv other part of the world, <ind .he hoped 4p see all the colonials that were wanted taking up defence as a profession. He would heartily welcome them ag comrades. , As for the comments v made by the "Lyttelton Times" upon Mr Atmore's remarks at Havelock, the general said the case mentioned by the member for Nelson must have been quite an exceptional one. The practice was to require no mail to attend drill more than an hour's journey from his home —saythree miles if he had to."walk, and six or seven miles if he had to ride. The men at greater distances could get their instruction' in the annual camps at less inconvenience to themselves and with better results to the country.

But abov? all the general wished the public—including the objectors and the passive rcsisters—to remember that lie wasr^ihcjerely".. desir.ausT.df.. Waking military 'training, as.'acceptable and as profitable as possible to the country. There must be regulations and discipline, but it was even more necessary to success that there should bo goodwill and enthusiasm, and it was to promote these he was devoting many anxious hours to what he might oall the nnmilitary side of his work. . New Zealandors did not «want ." conscription "' -and - '■'.' militarism " as those terms were understood by the people of the older countries, and he certainly did not wish to see: them- nave them. But he did wish to see them making adequate provision for their own defence, and with the excellent materia! at their disposal ho.was sure they could do this without sacrificing anything that was'worth while in their industrial Or'Social lives. -.:.:■•'•>.i