THE DEFENCE FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14688, 24 May 1911, Page 7

THE DEFENCE FORCE.

W ORK OF REGISTRATION.

AUCKLAND ENROLMENTS.

I to telegram.— press ASSOCIATION.] Wi:i.i.rxr.TON*, Tuesday, 1" to May 20 39,273 b.we registered un- ? fhe compulsory training scheme for •trills and senior cadets. To this lern i,' added tlio estimated 17,500 ternTrial* and senior cadets at present servr . and who aro being registered on 'If' to lists, making 56,773 accounted This leaves about 14,227 who must .Jester before Juno 2, or suffer penalties under the Act,

' The particulars of registration in the Auckland military district up to week ' ding May 20 were available yesterday. 'EL total number enrolled since April 3 vM 8637, made up as follows Territorials : Auckland City, 930; country, WO - total. 3900. Senior cadets : Auckland' City, 1579; country, 3208; total,' «787 The rate of enrolment is incrcasW as the last day (June 2) approaches. During the week ending May 6 the increase was 1748, the following week 1920,. jnd last week 2135.

HE COMMANDANT'S TOUR.

[ht TELEGRAVII. — ASSOCIATION.]

Gore, Tuesday.

• Major-General Godley visited Mataura yesterday, and addressed a meeting of citijgnj. on the defence scheme. The Commandant was cordially received. At Gore, in the afternoon, ho inspected the Wata'ura Mounted Rifles and territorials. In the course of a speech in the evening, the Commandant, said that Gore would be an important military centre in tho future. He explained the scheme, and appealed to the people for assistance.

' SECTARIAN CORPS.

,[BY TELEGRAM.— ASSOCIATION.]

Gore, Tuesday.

Referring to tlio denominational question in connection with the Territorial Force, the Commandant, in the course of : an address at Gore, said that a mountain fiad been made, by some people, out of a molehill. He saw no reason why senior cadets who- wished to bo together, should not be trained together. There could be no objection to this, but it would only occur in the larger centres, as in country companies they trained all denominations 'together.

PRESBYTERY'S PROTEST.

[BY telegraph.—mess ASSOCIATION'.]

Du-VEdix, Tuesday. At a special meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery to-day, a lengthy discussion took place on the question of the military training of cadets, and the Presbytery's relation thereto. Some of tho . speakers were in favour of the churches • assisting in the movement, but others showed an uncompromising hostility. Eventually a motion was carried by 18 votes to 6, protesting against the forma- . tion of denominational companies of cadets, ■ and expressing the opinion that churches, as such, should take no part in the forma- ■ tion of cadet companies.