CALL TO OFFICERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 21 August 1920, Page 3

CALL TO OFFICERS

TO ASSIST IN DEFENCE TRAINING “All officers and other ranks who served overseas have been exempted from further training,” state's the Commandant of the New Zealand Dei cnee B’oroos in his annual report to Parliament, “and on demobilisation have been posted to the reserve. It Lj very desirable that the services of as many as possible of these experienced officers and non-commissioned officers should be utilised for training the Territorial Force and Cadets, but only a small number have so iar volunteered to serve on the Active List. 'The great majority are waiting until a new policy has been decided upon. “Without desiring to influence policy, which is the function ol the Government, and not that of the Defence Department, I would like to emphasise the following lessons of the war as applied to this Dominion, viz.:’ (a) An efficient army can quickly be organised, provided every man has had a. limited amount of training, and there is available an ample supply of modern equipment and highly-trained officers and non-commissioned officers, (bj The large percentage of the man-power found by medical examination to be physically unfit for service points to tlie necessity of a thorough course ol physical training for all youths. : M would urge that the Government should decide the future defence policy as sc.uu as possible, in. order that the Department imay proceed with any! necessary reorganisation. j “During the recent visit of Bis j Royal Highness the Prince of U ales I largo (numbers 'of Territorials • and J (bidets paraded at Lie various centres | for inspection hy His Royal Higucss, who expressed his appreciation of the thoroughness and efficiency of all the military arrangements, of ~ the smart-

ness and efficiency of the troops and Cadets he inspected, and of the koennes*. and public spirit which caused many of the men. to travel long distances at great persona] inconvenience ■n order to attend the parades.”