NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8481, 16 July 1913, Page 10

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE

LAST YEAR’S COST--£505,267 COMMANDANT’S ANNUAL REPORT 69,700 REGISTRATIONS ABLE TO TAKE THE FIELD—2I,OOO MEN

The annual report of tho General Officer Commanding the New Zealand forces was presented to Parliament yesterday by tho Minister of Defence CHon. James Alien). Tha report states:—

"I am glad to report that very great interest has been taken during tho past year by all classes of tho community in their citizen army, and valuable assistance has been given to the military authorities In many ways in regard to the establishment of the scheme; also much substantial help in the direction of prizes for efficiency and contributions towards tho comforts and recreation of both Territorials and Bonior Cadets. Many citizens have become honorary members of the Territorial Force, and an institution has been formed called the Honorary Territorials, which I think is most valuable as a means of ensuring the closest possible touch between the citizens and their army.

1 efficiency of the forces TO TAKE THE FIELD.

• "With regard to the remarks mmy last year's report as regards the effi-ciency-of the forces to take the held, says the General, “I have the honour to state that 18,637 officers and men have now been trained at an annual camp (17,831 of them for two years), and have performed the number or parades and drills required throughout the year (some by means of extra tune in camp); that these officers and men have now all a rudimentary knowledge of field training; that 15,852 of them have fired at least one course of musketry (some have done more); and that, in case of emergency, it would be possible to augment the units from the ex-volunteers and ex-Sonth African contingenters by about 2500 specially selected officers and men who have all had some experience of soldiering, and thus place about 21,000 men in the field. Their efficiency to meet a possible enemy must be , measured by the amount of training they have received. The moat has been made of the time. The organisation in which they would take the field is complete and satisfactory; the camps for the year have to a great extent been held in the higher organisations; the supply of rifles,, ammunition, and personal equipment is adequate and satisfactory ; and the only serious deficiencies as regards material would bo transport, which has not yet been organised and which would • have to bo improvised locally, and certain items of technical equipment and stores. Eight batteries of up-to-date modern artillery would bo available. In 1909 the In-spector-General of the Forces reported as follows: 'I am quite coufident that I am well within the mark in saying that not more than a total of 6000 officers and men of the field forces have done any work in the field in daylight during the year.

DISTRICT STAFFS. “In addition to the headquarters staff of the army, a small permanent staff of eight officers is maintained at the headquarters of each of the four military districts. ■ It consists of an officer commanding; an officer of the General Staff (who deals with all matters in connection with the training of the forces in the district); an administrative officer (who deals with all matters connected with the administration of the district); instructors in mounted, infantry, and musketry duties re-1 epectively; a district accountant; and a district storekeeper. AREA-GROUP OFFICERS AND ADJUTANTS.

THE YEAR’S TRAINING—AND EXEMPTION.

“Each military district is again subdivided into four (in two cases five) gab-districts or area groups, each under command of an officer of the New Zealand Staff Corps, as recommended by Lord Kitchener, and each regiment of mounted rifles, brigade or division of artillery, and battalion of infantry has a permanent adjutant. In order to provide musketry instructors, and to do away with the duplication of the duties of area-group officer and adjutant, which had hitherto boon done by one individual —a system which it was found' impossible to continue—eleven warrant and non-commissioned officers have been promoted, by competitive examination, from the ranks, * and have been appointed either musketry instructors or adjutants to Territorial units. The group officers are now practically in the position of officers commanding a sub-district in each of the four military districts, and are in all cases senior to the adjutants of the mounted rifle and infantry regiments drawn from their group. The organisation and administration of the forces will be thereby mnch assisted, and the group officer, being freed from adjutant’s duties, will bo better able to devote his attention to the posting, transfers, etc., of all men in the group, to the training and -aa true tie it of the cadets and rifle clubs, and the general control of his group. The headquarters of the group officers and adjutants are, as far as possible, in rhe same place, thus amount of correspondence necessary between them. SHORTAGE OF PERMANENT STAFF.

- By these promotions the strength nf the Now Zealand Staff Corps has Seen raised to seventy-four, hut the warrant and N.C.O.’s promoted are of such an ace that there is ,no risk of their blocking the promotion of the cadets now at the Eoyal Australian Military College, or of blocking the supply of candidates for the college necessary to fill the eventual establishment of 100. It was impossible to continue working so short-handed as regards permanent officers, though every effort was made to do so, and we have still a duplication of many duties, not a single spare officer to replace a casualty, and some units without adjutants. In this connection I would again bring to your special notice the loyalty and devotion to duty which has characterised the work of these staff corps officers, and the warrant and N.C.O.’s

of tho permanent staff throughout the year. In face of many difficulties and discouragements, they have worked cheerfully and unceasingly to make a success of the scheme of universal training. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS.

“ It must be remembered,” says the officer commanding, “ that the army is on a very different footing from that on which it was before tho introduction of universal training. AVo have now to arrange to deal with citizen forces the strength of which will shortly be 30,000 Territorials, 40,000 Senior Cadets, and 25,000 members of rifle clubs, as against some 10,000 volunteers, 3COO defence cadets, and 3000 rifle club men in tho volunteer days. Further, plans for an expeditionary force, for the defence of the Dominion, for mobilisation, for coast defence,- for mapping and reconnaissance of the Dominion, for examination and education of officers, for manoeuvres, schools of instruction, camps, staff tours, etc., have been undertaken on a scale never before attempted, and the instruction and organisation of the forces has been carried into remote parts of the Dominion, which were not touched under the old scheme. Tho provision of arms, equipment, clothing, and material of all kinds has been quadrupled; wireless, aviation, and many other things which before bad not to be thought of now demand our attention; and the advence of military science, and the demands which it now makes upon officers make it impossible that an army can hope to hold its own, or to meet a possible enemy, without being efficiently trained and administered by an adequate staff. Prior to the introduction of the scheme of universal training little or no attempt had been made to establish the organisation necessary to enable the forces to take the field. This (with the exception of transport) has now been done, and, as in any other business, demands an adequate staff to maintain it. DRILLS AND PARADES. “ In tbo case of both the Territorial Force and Senior Cadets, there is still too much repetition of mechanical drill, and too much use of drill-halls. ’ The work must be varied, and the drillhalls should only be used in the winter and in wet weather. On summer evenings all drills must be in the open, and, as I have said before, there is no reason why the rendezvous of a company for its summer evening drill should not be on a convenient hill-top oh the outskirts of a town. The attendance has, on the whole, been good, but it is again noticeable that it is better in the country districts, where the difficulties of getting to and from parade and drill are far greater than in the towns. Much useful work has been done on whole-day and half-day parades, and in some cases, notably in tho coast defence commands and big centres, the co-operation of all arms in combined field operations for a day has been satisfactorily practised. I hope to see still more of this most necessary practice during tho forthcoming summer ; and for the purpose of affording scattered squadrons and companies, regiments and battalions the opportunity of periodically assembling for whole-day parades, 1 have recommended that a sum of money be allowed for the specific purpose of meeting the rail and coach fares and other expenses necessary for their assembly.

Speaking generally of the training or tho Territorial Force during the past year, the General states that it has steadily progressed, and a great measure of improvement is shown in discipline and general efficiency. Tho work of the instructors has been most satisfactory, and the system of instruction has worked as well as can be expected with the very limited number of instructors at tho department’s disposal. A regulation has been gazetted by which ail applications for exemption from training must bo brought before a magistrate for decision. This is very satisfactory, as tho military authorities have hitherto frequently been put in a difficult position by having to decide questions relating to the enforcement of the civil law —namely, the Defence Act. WIRELESS AND AVIATION.

Referring to wireless, the report states that tho experiments carried out last year were satisfactory. The advice of the Imperial authorities is being asked on the subject before embarking on tho purchase of any plant. Steps have been taken with regard to aviation. An officer now at Homo will go through a complete course of aviation, so that he may bo thoroughly competent to instruct. Ho will also be instructed in all the mechanical details of aeroplanes. An aeroplane has been presented to this Dominion, which will form tho nucleus of a flying corps. AN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

“If the experience of the South African War,’" says the report, “when New Zealand loyally came to the support of the Mother Country, may bo taken as a guide, it is fair to assume that, in the event of the Empire becoming engaged in a serious war, a hero the preservation of its existence is at stake, there would be an instant demand on the part of the people of the Dominion for the despatch of iroops to assist the Mother Country The value of any assistance, however rillingly and enthusiastically given, iv ill bo greatly lessened, if not altogether nullified, by waiting till the wtual outbreak of hostilities. It has therefore become necessary to work jut thoroughly in peace time full and complete plans (organisation, transport equipment, etc.) for an overseas expeditionary force, in order that efficient machinery may exist for the immediate execution of the wishes of the people. This previous preparation will, moreover, result in a very largo saving of expenditure. Such an expeditionary force will consist entirely of those serving Territorials who corns forward and offer themselves for scivices overseas to assist the Moth er

NEXT YEAR’S TRAINING,

Country to preserve the integrity o’ tho British Empire in time of great emergency.

“The dates of the annual camps for next year will bo fixed to suit the convenience of General Sir lan Hamilton, G.C.8., D. 5.0., the InspectorGeneral of the Overseas Forces, who has been invited by tho Government to inspect the forces of the Dominion, and who will probably arrive at the Bluff on Monday, April 27th. Arrangements are being made for him to see as many units of the Territorial Forces [fad Senior Cadets as possible, and no will probably leave Auckland for Australia about tho middle of May. With the exception of tho Garrison Artillery, all units will therefore attend the annual camp between those dates, and the necessary opportunity will thus bo afforded for an assemblage as far as possible of all tho troops of each district in a camp of all arms. We have now reached the stage of our training when the co-operation of all arms must be practised, and I look forward to the combination of horse, foot, and artillery at these camps as affording most valuable instruction and experience to all ranks of the army. COUNTRY PARADES SUGGESTED. “As regards drills and parades Throughout the year, experience snows that in the towns the scale of anils and parades laid down for town ui'ts is satisfactory, and can be adhered to. As. regards country unite, the necessary financial provision will, I trust, bo made to enable unite to bo assembled occasionally during the year for regimental, battalion, squadron, and company training. Without this tho country unite come to camp very much handicapped in comparison with chose of the towns, and it is imperative in the interests of efficiency that they should be afforded this facility. The system by which four extra days may be spent in camp, in order to enable unite and individuals from the baokblocks to thereby put in drills which it has been found practically impossible for them to do throughout the year, has proved satisfactory, and will lie contained. Casual camps will be in continuation of_ the annual camps, with two days’ interval, to enable men coming to the casual camp to be relieved by those returning from the annual camp. This will, it is hoped, be of assistance to employers, and will obviate any question of their having all their men away at the same time. PROSECUTIONS. “The resumption of prosecutions for failure to comply with the Act, which had been to a certain extent suspended till tho Defence Amendment Act was passed last session, has resulted in a marked increase in tho attendances at drills and parades throughout the country, and I think. that as the youuy men begin to realise the value of the training, the necessity for it, and that the country intends to see it through, tho opposition will bocomo less and less. The percentage of convictions to prosecutions was 69.88 per cent, in the case of Territorials; and in the case of Senior Cadets 70.15 oer cent. The total number imprisoned or placed in detention since the inauguration of the scheme is seventy-eight. Owing to the ore vision of detention in military custody by the Defence Amendment Act, 1912, tho number sentenced to imprisonment will in future b© very small.”'

Referring to military detention the General says:—“So far as a limited experience goes, the svstem in vogue appears to work satisfactorily. I do not think that there will be any question of putting into force the military deten. tion on a large sale, and it is not therefore contemplated to build detention barracks for the present. It is considered that as an attachment-order can be enforced against an offender’s wages, detention need only be resorted to in cases of failure to pay the amounts due. and therefore recourse to detention will he exceptional. In such cases provision has been made for the detention of offenders m military custody in some of the permanent barracks or forts. Up to April 30th thirteen persons have been committed to military detention, and all have served their sentences to the full. REGISTRATION FIGURES. “The registration of all youth available for training up to April 30th, 1913, has resulted as follows: District. Terri- Senior Totals, torials. Cadets. Auckland ...... 9,060 8,990 18,050 Canterbury ... 6,176 10,760 16,936 Otago 6,174 7,405 13,579 Wellington ~ 8,150 12,935 21,135 Totals 29,560 40,140 69.700 LAST YEAR’S COST, £606,267. “A sum of £505,267 was expended ont of the Consolidated Fund during the financial year ending March 31st, 191 b, to defray the cost of the administration, training, and equipping of the forces of the Dominion. Owing to the camps for the year 1911-12 being held in the autumn, after the close of the financial year, the greater part of the expenditure in connection with them was included in the year 1912-13, thereby making the expenditure Jfor the year under review appear somewnat larger than it actually should be. The alteration in the dates of the camps of training was made in order to meet, as far as practicable, th« wishes of the employers of labour, and to cause as little inconvenience _as possible to the business community. £90,000 of the amount appropriated out of the Consolidated Fund for capital and non-recurront expenditure for 1911-12 was unexpended, and most of the liabilities for which it had been appropriated wore mot during the past year. ONE-FOURTH OF AUSTRALIA’S COST. ‘ ‘Lord Kitchener gave no estimate of what the cost should be for New Zealand, but, as he said that the strength of the New Zealand Army should be approximately one-fourth that of Australia, it may be assumed that he estimated the cost to the Dominion to be also about one-fourth of that which he recommended for Australia. His estimate for the annual expenditure for Australia was £1,884,000 (vide paragraph 104 of his report). One-fourth of this amount would be £471,000 per annum for New Zealand. The Australian estimates for last year for purely land defence, entirely exclusive of any expenditure in connection with the navy, or anything else except the army, are, I believe, £2,973,146, an excess of £1,089,146 over Lord Kitchener’s estimate. One-fourth of this would be £743,286 for New Zealand. No separate sum for the necessary initial aud capital expenditure for guns, equipment, clothing, etc., necessary to start the new scheme of universal training in New Zealand has yet been allotted. All this necessary initial expenditure has been paid aud provided for out of the Consolidated Fund for 1911-12. £401,870. and for 1912-13, £505,267. This has necessitated cutting down the training of the forces in various respects. When the initial expenses have been paid. I am confident that our annual expenditure for the forces a? now authorised, can be, at any rate for the next few years, kept down to about one-fourth of Lord Kitchener’s estimate for Australia.”