THE BEST DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14299, 19 February 1910, Page 7

THE BEST DEFENCE.

RECRUIT TRAINING ESSENTIAL

NOTHING BUT EFFICIENCY. '■'-;.".■ **-■-.- '■:■ ■' ■ ; {'if \ ■■' .■■-■ ; .*-. '•':■ ■■■'■'*

(Beceived February 18, ; 11.45 p.m.) '""? \ ■ '■';'..'■■';' Stdnkt, February. .18. Continuing, Lord Kitchener say;,that half of the 80,000 men, comprising ihe force/ would •he required .■, to secure'the ' larger cities and defended posts from attack, while the other half would bo' free •> to operate as a.: mobile : forse, anywhere ; in Australia. ,< The ibest defence was generally -by taking ythe offensive, therefore there should be no difference in organisation or. equipment in any unit. . ; ':,/.. ./ ' [i 'Lord Kitchener '.'from..the training prescribed in the f Defence Act,; considering that while cadet [training 'is, valuable afi:* 'preparation, it cannot ''.. replace recruit'train'ing, which, in,his opinion, is ;a necessary preliminary ;to the production' of an efficient trained citizen soldier.. .For this reason he classed 18 to 19-year-old men as recruits over and above the peace establishment of > 80,000 men, hut: liable to .be put' in ; the i ranks in time ;of war. .■'.• . .; | u ■ Lord Kitchener extended camp training up: to six clear working days, in addition to home training. This would j meet requirements up to a man's 25th year. The first principle he lays down as \an essential success of enrolment is that the nation as a., wholes should take>a i pride ■in / its ; defenders, and insist upon the defence organisation •■. Being' real and : designed : for war purposes, and; provide a means of properly educating, training, i and ;■ equipping^the of- ! ficers and men; • in ; other words, the force I must ;be an integral portion; the national life. 'I'/' : ' , Y' ; ; : '--,.-'. The -Fred-Marshal 1 recommends-the; divi- . sion of»the s Commonwealth into 215 training 'areas, arranged-in--21 groups. "No social consideration, .no influence; , nothing but efficiency should be allowed," • says he; "to ;: affect f the selection and promotion ;< of officers in charge > of areas.'" 1 ' • " : ■ Lord Kitchener recommends the follow- i ing scale v of ?- pay ~. ; i or iofficers:—Colonels, £800 to £900 per v^annum';?: lieutenantcolonels, >: £700 to £800; majors/ £550 'to £650; captains/; £375 to £150 j' subalterns, £250 to £350. . The cost of the'military college; b/y esti.Bates-* £15,000. ■ . ~. :. • • \ .[ / .' '. .