TERRITORIAL TRAINING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17167, 22 May 1919, Page 7

TERRITORIAL TRAINING.

GENERAL RUSSELL'S OPINION,

At the welcome extended to him at j Hastings, General Sir Andrew Russell made some interesting references to the past and future of defensive training in New Zealand. He said that had the Territorial Forces not come into existence in 1911, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force would never have had the good start it had. At GaTpili they had a lot of men who knew a good deal, so that 1 when they had to go they had got a good ! way on the road already. As to tho | future of defence matters, he did not know ; that they should entirely wash their hands of any kind of military preparation. Given a good citizen they had already tlrcefourths of a good soldier, and it would not lx necessary to go in for as much weekly or fortnightly work as they wed to. One thing wac. certain, they must . keep up a good staff and treat the staff generously it they wanted good work. He ! did not, think there was the slightest . chance of New Zealand being attacked. 1 With the population they had lie would bo ' a, bold man who tried to get a footing j here. They had that big continent Australia. Ii anything happened there owing to her proximity to the East ho took it there were very few of them who would not say, if they wero wanted, " Wo arc going'over to'help." (Applause). They must be prepared for such a contingency as that.