DEFENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 August 1928, Page 4

DEFENCE

TERRITORIALS INCREASING

QUESTION OF FINANCE

(By Telegraph) (From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter).

WELLINGTON, 7th. August. The annual report of the Defence Department was laid on the table of the House of Representatives this afternoon. The- report states' that with the steady increase in the population of the Dominion it is inevitable that the strength of the Territorial Force has been correspondingly in@-easing. The present strength of the Territorial Force is 1069 officers and 20,140 other ranks, which is considerably above the prescribed peace establishment. The G.O.C. states that tho only sound way of providing for the additional numbers coming forward each year is the formation of nety units. The question of finance, however, renders it impossible to form these, and therefore the only way .'to keep existing units within their peace establishment is by raising the physical standard of the Territorial Force. To ensure that the Territorial Force shall be brought down to its peace establishment during the coming training year, when the quota now duo for transfer to,-the Reserve has been eliminated,'ythe. remainder .of the Territorial Force, together with all Cadets becoming eligible for Territorial training, will be classified in certain graded categories of physical development, and only those of the high)est physical standard and those who are actually required to complete units to the respective peace establishments will he posted to the Territorial Force. Any •surplus to these requirements will be posted to the non-effectfve list. To effect a further saving, camp training will not he required from first-year Territorial units this year. The standard of recruits for the Territorial Force being higher should result in more progressive training being carried out during the first year and in a higher-trained soldier going with his unit, to camp. More advanced training will be possible and a higher standard-reached. ,i“I feel confident,” ’says ' General Young, “that the existing * interest, esprit de corps, and efficiency of our. Territorial units will not suffer, and that- the fighting value of the New Zealand Field Force as a whole will be increased by these measures,” • The reduction and changes outlined, , says the report, will in no way affect the present establishment and higher training required from the officers, warrant and non-commissioned officers of the Territorial Force, or of those seconded fftr service with their affiliated Cadet units. As at present, all officers and non-commissioned officers will be required to attend the camps and special course of instruction of their unit held during their Territorial service. The training of Cadets as a whole is reported as progressing satisfactorily, giving good results.