THE DEFENCE SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14929, 29 February 1912, Page 4

THE DEFENCE SCHEME.

GENERAL GODLEY PLEASED. SUCCESS OF TRAINING CAMPS. A question > <garding the progress of the new defence scheme, which was put to Major-General Godley (Commandant of the Forces) by a Herald reporter yesterday, elicited a very encouraging reply "Speaking of the scheme as a whole," said General Godley, " I think it is proving more satisfactory than I bad ever ventured to hope. The people of the country, as a whole, are giving the scheme strong support. Tho spirit of opposition is very small, it being confined to only a few people, and to a few localities where tho scheme is not yet thoroughly understood." In referring to the training camps General Godley said he lias attended three of iho four camps, that have been held up to the present time, viz., those at Oringi (Wellington) and the two Otago camps. All three camps had been ! very successful, and in alluding to the two Otago camps ho said: -'The attendance was very satisfactory, about' 80 per cent, of the men being in camp. The remainder were accounted for by changes of residences, and a, lew cases of genuine hardship to employers or employed, in which leave had to be given to the men to do their training with another regiment later (in. This, of course, is not satisfactory, from a military point of viow, as it is so much tetter for men to do their training with their own regiments. I was very much struck at the camps that I have visited at the willingness and good spirit displayed by the men. In conversation w:th them I ascertained that as a rule those who have attended the camps have quite enjoyed the experience, and that they are looking forward to next year's camps." General Godley states that he hopes to be able to attend the camp of the 3rd (Auckland) Regiment at Panatoetoe on March 18, and that of the 16th (Waikato) Regiment at Hamilton on March 20. He will visit the rifle meeting at Trentham next week, and whilst there will take advantage of the opportunity of meeting the representatives of rifle clubs, with a view of getting the clubs put on a satisfactory footing, as a genuine second line of the territorial forces.

General Godley, who arrived from Web lington by yesterday morning's express, left last evening for Whangarei, where he will attend the camp of the 15th (North Auckland) Regiment to-day. He will return to Auckland overland by way of Maungaturoto, Warkworth, and' Waiwera, and will leave here on Monday night for Wellington.