THE DEFENCE BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14698, 4 December 1909, Page 11

THE DEFENCE BILL

COMPULSORY TRAINING. A TERRITORIAL ARMY. ABOLITION OF VOLUNTEERS. (From Our Own Corbsspondent.l WELLINGTON, December 3. The Internal Defence Hill, which was introduced is tlio House was about to rise this morning, consists of 103 clause, divided into 10 parts. The principal provision.?, of course, ara (boss relating to compulsory training. The opening clauses provide lor the appointment of a, Commandant of the Forces, and a Council of Defence, to eonsift of the Minister of Defence as president, the chief of the General Staff (who shall be responsible for the administration of malteiE relating to organisation, disposition, armament, and generally the maintenance of the Defence Forces), together with a finance member of the council. The ollioe of Inspcctor-geiicnil of the Forces will under the bill ho retained. \\ it.li regard to the scope of the authority to be invested in the Commandant of the Forc«6, it is, proposed that he shall be responsible for matters of discipline, training, and efficiency, administration of stores, accoutrements, munitions of war, supervision of fortifications and magazines, transport, and in -general the control of matters relating to tho strategical defences and mobilieation plans of the country.

A TERRITORIAL FORCE. Tho Territorial Force which is to be established shall be liable for service within Not Zealand, and is to be maintauied and, if neccesary, recruited by transfers from the general training sec-tion—-i.e., those undergoing compulsory training. Such transfers r-hall be made either by ballot or by transfer. The new bill abolishes the selection of officers by popular election, and provides that all commissioned officers iu the Territorial Foreo shall be appointed by the Governor oft the recommendation of a Boar<l of Selection appointed by the council in each district. It is insisted that officers so appoints must paw prescribed examinations before obtaining their commissions. PASSING OF THE VOLUNTEER, • All \ olimteer corps, including reserve corps, shall under oertam transitory provisions of the new bill cease to exist on a day to be notified by proclamation, and on or before that day all Arms, clothing

and appointments issued to any member of any suoh corps are to be delivered to an officer appointed for the purpose. All 10 ®sets and liabilities of Volunteer corps incurred prior to the date in que*. 1 slia ' ll > after investigation, becomo tile assets and liabilities of tho Crown. At ■wy time within the date so notified members oi the corps referred to shall be eligible for enlistment, in. tho Territorial Force ,nth tlm am rank as previously Mid by them m the Volunteer Force, llie machinery for tho abolition of tile Volunteer Force aJ ,d the establishment of a territorial Force is, generally speaking, on tlie same lines as that adopted in England for the establishment of tiro British Territorial Army.

COMPULSORY TRAINING. The provisions in the bill regarding wmpubwy training are on the lines of Mil h! en r iß , ra ?t ® th « Badgrt. The 2 !llv J"?'1 mllublla!rfs be trained vas fully stated in my massage early this HTf®' /- ,1S ako P rovided «iat should it be found inconvenient in any particular Cadelff Carry f a* t,U! tl ' al ' ni "g °f senior ,•7 . or . of tho general tra-iniii" sec - W '' l,h derence "AO club except- training ln camp may ] K accepted * may te remarked, by.the war tint ! 8 twining of the junior Cadets appeal to bo mamly phjwcal. Further Hut junior Cadet olhcers will be permitted to come up for examination for commissions EMPLOYERS AND TRAINING. Every person who prevents or attempts lia^lW nt :° f - hls w ho are liable for service m the senior Cadets' f ll trnmin S . section or Territorial ioice from carrying out m , ch scrvi m any way penalises them for returning wZtr I '™*]- W . h^ cr . b y a reduction oi uages or dismissal, ]s liable to a line not exceeding £i«. Ml pm for eerv.ee must, within three months aier the coming into operation of the act, or m the month 0 f January of the J ear 111 which they , become liable, present themselves for registration, failing which they will be liable to a fine not exceeding £5. Further, thev will be distranchised, and rendered ineligible for seme* <>r continued service in any Go\ernment department. Nothing jn the act it is slated, shall require any person to bear arms or perform or undergo militaiy service or training if the doctrines of his religion forbid him to do to. On the other hand he will be liable for service and training in such civil duties as may bo prescribed by the Govemor-in-Louncil. i the militia. On occasion of a- national emergency the Council of Defence will be authorised to make whatever directions as it deems necessary for embodying all or any part

of the Defence Forces, and in particular to make such special arrangements as . W b® proper in regard to units or individuals whose services may be required - in other than a military capacity. Under these provisions all the male inhabitants of New Zealand between the ages of 17 V} c ) v 55 are also liable for service in the Militia, 1 and in the event of war the whole of those called out and placed under arms may bo organised in such manner as may be directed by the Council of Dcfonce. The Militia shall bo divided into the following classes; — Class I, unmarried men, between 17 and 30 years of ago; Class 11, married men, be- , tween 17 and 30 years, and unmarried men between 30 and 40 vears of age** Class 111, married men between 30 and 55 years, and unmarried men between 40 and 55 years of age. THE PERMANENT FOECE. Generally speaking the Permanent Force remains as at present constituted, but authority is given to the Governor to insist on a prescribed number of those fit &ii(l able to bo embodied. The Force will he liable for service in and beyond New Zealand. All persons embodied will be liable for eight years' service—five in the active force and three in the reserve, —but it is provided that on payment of £10. and at any time during the two following years of £5, he may obtain his discharge at the end of three years, but he may be called upon at any time ( during the remainder of his period of eight years to rejoin tho Force.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.

There appears to be no definite reference in the bill to such arrangements as will probably require to be made with regard to the payment- of men whilst serving their compulsory period, beyond the single reference under the heading of "General Powers of the Governor," which states that, regulations may be made for the pay, rations, and lodging of the forces. In the light of past experience with regard to the conditions which have governed seniority of officers, the following clause is of some interest: " Where any commissions of like rank bear the same date, the holders thereof respectively shall rank according to the dates of their prior commissions, and in case there are not such prior commissions, then the aforesaid holders shall take Viltik according to the order of merit obtained in the examination." AUCKLAND OFFICER'S COMMENT. (Pze United Press Association.) <i t • AUCKLAND, December 3. ' It is really the only wav of putting our defences upon anything'like an efficient and satisfactory basis." remarked Lieilt.-colonol Pateison. referring to the Internal Defence Bill to-day. " I thoroughly agree with the general scheme, for there is no doubt whatever that if we are to keep our end up we must fall into Kne with the general march of evente. The scheme as a whole is really framed on Mr Haidane's territorial scheme at Home. It is simply wonderful to reK«d the slipsliod f happy-go-lucky ideas that prevail in New Zealand with regard

to defence, when one considers thai (ho country would practically be defenceless should tiie British navy meet with reVerse. The effects of discipline will be Bood. A spirit of emulation and enthusiasm will be promoted, and apart from the military side tho physical 'and moral value to the youth of the Dominion from the working of such a scheme will ho especially beneficial."