SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14926, 26 February 1912, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES.

AN IMPORTANT PROPOSAL. CREATION OF CITIZEN ARMY. By Telegraph.—Press Association.— (Received February 25, 5.5 p.m.) Capetown, February 24. The Minister for Defence, General Smuts, in moving the second reading of the Defence Bill, emphasised that the forces provided for would not be liable for service outside of South Africa. The Bill proposes to create a citizen force by enrolling 24.000 yearly, and an additional 1000 to replace those going into the reserve. It is intended to establish an instruction school at Bloemfontein, and to train the officers. v The scheme will come into operation in January next. The annual cost will be £1,172,000, an increase of £320,000 on the present outlay. The newspapers report that there is a growing opposition in the back veldt districts to the Bill on account of it providing for compulsory training. The South African Defence Bill, which has been prepared by tho Union Government is modelled on the Swiss military training system. The summary published when the Bill was introduced stated that tho first lino will consist of 2500 permanent mounted rifles and 25,00/0 of an active citizen force, aged from 17 years to 25. The second lino will consist of citizens aged 21 to 45, who have been trained, and have learned the use of the rifle. The third lino will be the national reserve, aged from 17 to 60, who will be called out in case of grave emergencies only. Citizens reasonably required for defence will be trained. The training will consist of as many night drills as are renuired for recruits for the ranks, plus eight to 15 days continuous trained annually. Coloured inhabitants are not included in the scheme.