MILITARY SCIENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7023, 11 January 1910, Page 5

MILITARY SCIENCE

NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO UNIVERSITY SENATE.

The question of teaching military science -at tlio collects of the New Zealand University, which has been receiving the earnest consideration of the Military Committee formed in connection with Victoria College, will be given greater prominency.) and importance by Lord Kitchener's utterances at Sydney »u ■ Saturday— The country on its part should support the delemlers by showing pride in. them; by insisting upon the abolition of all that savours of sham and uselessness, and by supplying the nivalis to them to studv thoroughly and ground themselves in military duties by the provision of carctuily , considered necessities to ensure an efficient equipment of training in. readiness lor war. The Military Committee of Victoria College drew inj certain recommendations o'l this subject, an<l spbmitted them to the four Professorial Hoards. These recommendations have been approved by Auckland and Canterbury Colleges. Otago and Wellington. Professorial Boards have not yet replied, owing to the holidays intervening, but it is confidently expected that their answers will bo favourable to the oourso suggested. It is proposed to send the following recommendations to the University Senate for corjsidoration at ite next meeting: 1. Military science to be an optional subject for the arts course. 2. A Chair of Military Science to bo established at each of the four university colleges. The Government to be. approached to provide a sum not exceeding .£3OOO per annum to cover salaries. 3. In 1907 the War Ofnce brought before the colonial Premiers, then in England attending the Imperial Conference, the question of the advisability of colonial xiniversities affording facilities for the study of military science. A large proportion of candidates offering for commissions in tho Regular Army have for some years been drawn from Home universities, and the supply from this source is increasing. - 4. Chairs of Military Science exist at Sydney University and at JlcGill University. 5. A Professor of Military History has lately been appointed at Oxford, and a third of the subjects taken fertile B.A. degree may be military subjects. 6. A suggestion was made to the Now Zealand University Senate in 1908 that military drill and efficiency with the rifle be allowed to count as an optional subject for the arts ' course. This swms due to a misconception, and is undesirable from an academic and educational point of view. What is required is facilities for obtaining tuition in tho higher branches of military science, not in drill and other meirely elementary branches. The syllabus should include: Military History Strategy Tactics Military Geography Military Engineering Administration Organisation Military Law. MEANS OF TRAINING. PROVISION ESSENTIAL. "Now Zealand is moving in the direction of creating an army," sar.d one of tho members of the Victoria College Officers' Training Corps who is interesting himself in the matter to a "Times" reporter yesterday, "and it behoves her to sot about providing moans of training for those who will officer it. The average officer of our present volunteer corps knows about enough to enable aim to manoeuvre a company in a drill shed. This is one of tho great weaknesses of our present defence system. It is not tho officer's fault. Ho has practically no opportunity of acquiring efficiency—of studying the science of his 'profession.' At the Officers' Club ho may hear an occasional leotuire, it is true, but no system is followed and no thoTougliness is attempted. Knowledge of military strategy is an essential part of any officer's equipment. How many know even the A B C of it?" And you think the University is the place to teach it? "Well, ifs this way: At tho University you have the corning brains of the country. There you have tire most likely material to. work upon. Wo ask that' whilst attending the University those whoso bent is in that direction should havo the opportunity of obtaining a thorough grounding in military science."

And you don't think it would mean any undue interference with the other work of the college? "We recognise that objection, but what we eay is that the study of military scienco involves mental training to as great a degree os many other subjects—mental science, for example. What wo want the Senate to do is to make it an optional subject for the arts course. This is already done at Oxford and, I boldeve, at otfier universities. Then it would bo competent for students to choose it as an alternative to some other non-essential subject. Take a law student. English, and mental science axe optional subjects with him. By substituting military science we maintain that he would get just as pood mental training. Not only that—he would bo turned out a better citizen, probably, than ho would have been had his studies been exclusively bookish." And the cost?

"We estimate that .£3OOO would place four professors on an equal footing with their confreres. On the staff of the British army first-class men draw ,£6OO to .£7OO a year, and were the New Zealand University to offer .£7OO we believe the very best men available could be got."