THE DEFENCE FORCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 9

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

O S - COLONEL DAVIES' CRITICISM. The state of the defence forces of the Dominion was touched on by Colonel Davies at the annual reunion of returned troopers,' at Greymouth, the other night. The speaker stated that the members of the Defence Council felt the responsibility they had undertaken, and were striving to make the Defence Forces thoroughly efficient. It was different here from other parts of the Empire, where statesmen dictated to those in command of the forces, but here the Council took full control. This was a good principle, as the statesman could exercise his diplomacy while the soldiers could be left to do the fighting. A soldier's duty lay in doing what he was told and saying nothing. He felt that as far as the volunteers were concerned they were being spoon-fed too much in every respect. The Government had met their demands, and, year by year they received more-encourage-ment, yet lees work was demanded of them. This had not produced a good result, Even in the matter of railway passes, there was really no limit to the number granted with p. view to encouraging competition and practice at rifle yet the men did not avail themselves of these advantages as they should. It -was absolutely necessary that they should be thoroughly trained, or disorder and chaos would be the result, and a mob of men going into a battlefield armed with dangerous weapons, would be absolutely useless. Indeed, the presumption was that they would be shooting each other. «, What was required, he said, was, good shooting under' proper control. There was no question that they possessed in the colonies the very best material for making soldiers that there was in the world, but even so they must be under discipline and control. The very fact that New' Zealanders were used to mustering and other outdoor work rendered them easy to train, and he was proud to say that there was no finer body of men sent to South Africa than the New Zealanders. " He hoped that the volunteers woxild rally round the Council, and by paying attention to their officers' instructions in drill and rifle practice maintain the prestige that New Zealand had gained in South Africa, so that if a call to arms were made would be : ready to answer it willingly and forcibly.