ADVICE FROM LORD ROBERTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13672, 13 February 1908, Page 5

ADVICE FROM LORD ROBERTS.

AUSTRALIA'S TINE EXAMPLE. [from OUR own- CORRESPONDENT.] Sydney, February 6. The subject, of marksmanship in warfare came up at a meeting of the National Rifle Association, in Sydney, on the sth inst. Lord Roberts wrote to Colonel Holmes regarding the recent controversy between that officer and Colonel Foster, military lecturer at the University, on the battle value of good rifle shooting. In the course of his letter lie eaid the complete soldier required training, discipline, marching power, morale, and rifle shooting. AH these were essentials, and nothing was gained by exalting one to the detriment of the others. It was advisable that citizen soldiers should practice rifle 'shooting, a comparatively easy thing for them, in -view of their leieure time.. Nevertheless, the other points should not be forgotten. The individual should learn' rifle shooting by himself; not so with drill, discipline, and co-opera-tion, which required a period of continuous training under proper organisation and good officers. In conclusion he rejoiced to see that there vraa "a prospect of the principle of compulsory military training being adopted by the Australian people in response to the splendid appeal made to them by Mr. Deakin." In Australia they were fortunate in having the example of a patriotic, and democratic people who had seen the proper relationship between rifle shooting and national defence more clearly perhaps than any other nation.