OUR DEFENDERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6452, 25 February 1908, Page 6

OUR DEFENDERS.

A PLEA FOR TRAINING. BRITISH OFFICERS WANTED. TRIBUTE TO THE BUSH WHACKERS. (By G. D. Hamilton.) DANNBVIBKE. February 20. All maimer of men, civilians chiefly. have used your pages to publish views on the defence ot tho country I from possible invasion. Having a dose knowledge of tho country from I north to south extending over hlty i years, and a knowledge of tho subject ' extending over a good deal more, my suggestions or remarks muy bo taken I in good part. I A large part of tho population, tuo j “bush whackers," with their fine physique, hard muscle, good nerve, the pick and shovel men and others oi I kindred occupations and hardy outdoor life, are the material to make firstclass regular infantry, which must always bo tho backbone of t any army, and has been binoo the time of # the Roman empires “robust infantry.’* Yet these ar© the men that are least availed of in all efforts to form a defence force. Men for light cavalry I need hardly say ar© to lie found in numbers all over th© country. It is doubtful if any other kind will ever 'be of us© in tho Dominion. Some of our coast line railways ar© dangerously exposed. Now, while quit© realising the fin© soldier material of the Dominion. I have no hesitation in .saying that any militia raised on th© old lines of tho last Maori war would be absolutely useless for any purpose. Few of th© officers or men, exdopt those who had soon imperial service, know anything of their duties. It was then intended to give the settlers a chance to defend themselves, and families If attacked unexpectedly. The fighting was don© by British trooos under British officers, and by small bodies of regular colonial troops stiffened by men discharged from British regiments, and to a largo extent officeix>l by ex-imperial officers. Such few officers as were colonial born wore valuable, particularly for the bush fighting. , Civilians sometimes have idkas. I think one over the name of Louglman (M.L.C.) P wroto in. your columns not long ago advocating thio Government giving facilities for the whole population to become marksmen by granting free minature rifle ranges of th© most suitable kind, and instructors at every point where men could be got to attend. Always and at all reasonable hours. Then when the mobilisation came with th© needed drill and discipline there would bo an army well versed in the us© of th© weapon instead of an army that might as well for practical defence purposes bo an army of supers on the stage.

This is a thing much lees difficult to make compulsory at first than universal drill, and at comparatively little expense. An infantry soldier of a ©ort con, no doubt, b© made by three mouths' constant drill, but effective riflemen could baldly be expected under two years. Meanwhile anyone with felonious Intentions in this Dominion is hardly likely to wait while we are learning how to ©hoot. The drill without ©hooting is no use and the shooting without drill is nearly a© useless. Any attack made on the Dominion would bo by troops drilled in European fashion. China has already about half a million, and would have to bo mot ia the open.

The examples often quoted of the Maori war are nothing to the purpose. It was against a handful of men. armed with smooth bore muskets or double barrelled shot guns at a range of probably seldom over one hundred yard©, but who were generals by instinct. The American wax, north against south, was fought on both sides by raw troops that if opposed to European troops instead would probably have met with dire disaster. I would back at close quarter© our "bush whackers/' if properly trained and officered, against any troops I have seen, but on© of the lessons military history teaches is that in an assault on an enemy's work a corp of gladiators (the finest swordsmen and athletes of the Roman Empire, but nndrilled) were thrice repulsed and replaced by what was tho equivalent of our ordinary line regl- ! mmt/who took the position. I hope that onr "bush whackers/' if ever properly trained and Wanted, will be manouvred to get at their enemy with the bayonet and not wasted on long shots. Some eight years ago in leisure moments I contributed several articles on these .'©ubiects to this paper, and I find now that some of the Australian colonies are adopting the militia scheme I then advocated, but I see the same difficulty abopt finding suitable commissioned officers that 1 did before. I can only suggest o permanent arrangement with the Imperial Govern ment for a constant supply of young officers who had seen war service and were not over twenty-five year© of age, eay ten per cent of the number of commissioned officers that would be required if the full strength of militia was colled out. A commission in the imperial service gives a man the position of a gentleman, and this would tend to act beneficially on military relations with tho Old Country and on the Dominion forces generally. Young non-commissioned officers from the Imperial Army with war experience In about the same proportion would probably be desirable, and young good conduct men from the ranks who had seen war service would help to "stiffen” the ranks of the Dominion army. At on© time, at anyrato, grants of land were given to Imperial officers as an inducement to settle.. This in some modified form might bo # extended to the class of non-commissioned officers and men I have indicated, and tho country would be all tho better of the fighting . blood perpetuated. Wo have had much voluntary scr vice for the Maori and Boor wars, but there has always been a solid lacking of Imperial troops. Here we will probably in future have to depend on ourselves , . . Tho volunteers are deserving of all praise for their voluntary contribution to defence. They are, officers and men, better versed in their duties than they have ever been befero in the Dominion. Some, however, retain white belt© and slings, these should be obsolete. The best beginning is in tho compulsory teaching of drill and ©hooting in schools. If there are people with conscientious scfuplos against being taught; to defend themselves, and would leave it to others, facilities ought to be afforded them to leave the Dominion. They would only depreciate the breed. As to naval defence, if the Government could, by a little subsidy, get a class of steamers on the coast that could, if required, be worked at a great speed they would act aa ©couis—mines should do nearly- all the rest. If the recoil of the short rifle is muon more than from tho old rifle it i© a great defect. The new straight sword there seems a possibility of the cavalry being armed with carries out the first Napoleon's advice to his cavalry to trust to’the point, which bayonet or sword does the most damage with least exertion. Tho Government and tho Council of defence have a difficult problem before them in arranging for a militia defence and the people will be wise to help in every way, their efforts. The Premier is a man of adaptability, versatile. in sympathy with the people, and if given a fair chance ie likely to | do what is judicious.