READY FOR THE WORLD

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7055, 17 February 1910, Page 1

READY FOR THE WORLD

EMPIRE DEFENCE HOW AUSTRALIA WILL HELP THE MOTHERLAND. NEW SCHEME ADOPTED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 16, 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 16. In. the course of a speech at Maitland, the Prime Minister, Mr A. Deakin, announced that tho Federal Government had received from FieldMarshal Lord Kitchener a scheme in consonance with the Defence Act which would be found to throw the latter into a new shape to make .it more practicably effective in all its parts. They themselves, said the Prime Minister, could scarcely have accomplished this as it had been done unless they had had the benefit of tho advice' of a man who had already made two or three armies fit for service On behalf of the Em jure. Reinforced by . Lord Kitchener's authority, the newi scheme would he put into operation at once,, as the preliminary arrangements and appointments Were already being’ma'de. .; ' Tt was a scheme, not only for raising men and organising them, but also for arming them., and making the Commonwealth self-dependent in -the matter of .providing ammunition, small arras and cordite. - . The scheme, in short, would enable Australia both to fond for herself and to assist the Mother Country to stand against the world.