FUTURE DEFENCE POLICY

Otago Witness, Issue 3467, 24 August 1920, Page 43

FUTURE DEFENCE POLICY

THE COMMANDANT'S ADVICE,

NEED FOR TRAINED OFFICERS

CFrom Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 19,

The report of the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, persented to Parliament to-day, consists almost entirely of a resume of the operations of the department for the year ended June 20. Sir E. W. Chaytor docs, however, utter one or two words" of advice concerning the future policy to be pursued. Summing up his general observations, he says, without desiring to influence the policy, which is the function of the Government, and not that of the Defence Department, "I would like to emphasise tho following lessons of the war, as applied to this dominion—viz. (a) an efficient army can quickly be organised, provided every man has had a limited amount of training, and there is available an ample supply of modern equipment and highly-trained officers and non-commissioned officers; (b) the large percentage of the manpower found by medical examination to be physically unfit for service, points to the necessity of a thorough course of physical training for all youths. I would urge that the Government should decide the future defence policy as soon as possible, in order that the department may proceed with any necessary reorganisation." General observations in the light of future reorganisation state that the experience gained in carrying out the present system of training shows that (a) the attempt to carry out training in sparsely-populated districts has been expensive, unproductive of efficiency, and very burdensome to the trainee and to his employer; (b) the limitation of training to a Territorial Force having a maximum establishment of 30,000 has resulted in over 50 per cent, of those who are liable under the Act receiving no training, which has caused great dissatisfaction, while the physically unfit -who would benefit most by a' course of physical training have been exempted. The experience during the war shows that (a) the average New Zealander, if physically fit, can soon be trained sufficiently to enable him to take his place in the ranks of a unit that has well-trained officers and non-commissioned officers, but that officers and non-commissioned officers require a much longer training; (b) a very large proportion of the young men are not physically fit for active service, but that a, large proportion of these can be made fit, and almost all much improved, by a few weeks' course of physical training; (c) well-trained and disciplined units always show a lower sick rate and casualty list than poorly-trained and disciplined units operating under similar conditions; (d) delay in mobilising an adequate force results in possible loss of success, and in certain extra expense and loss of life by prolonging the war. It is for the Government to decide on the future policy of the Defence Force, but I would urge that when considering the immediate need for economy, the vital necessity for efficiency should not be overlooked. Men of the type of our New Zealand soldiers, even when partly trained and poorly equipped, can be trusted to do well and to succeed if possible.' But in actual war deficiencies in training and equipment must always be paid for with men's lives. Tho Hon. Sir HEATON RHODES replied to the speakers on the Defence report. He said he was convinced that tho feeling of the country was that the cost of the defence scheme must be put down. At the same time lie though the country wanted

a smaller defence force and wanted an e/lie.eiit force. A scheme to meet this has been submitted by him to the W. 0., who was at present working out the details. When this was completed the scheme would be submitted to Cabinet for approval. He could not disclose the scheme, but he would say there would be no camps this year. Tine Cadet Force would be retained, but the number of half-day and whole day drills, which had proved so irritating, would be abolished. Camps would bo held for Cadets, and after they passed through these camps they would bo drafted into 4 sort of reserve. He thought men could b$ sufficiently trained, but n.o.o's could not bo trained in so ehort a period. Aviatioii would be used in connection with the milir tary service, but by utilising it in a civi| capacity, so that the loss to the country; would not bo so great. There would be a committjee of defence, consisting of tho Commandant, Generals Russell and Rich* ardson, the Naval Advisee Colonel Essori, General Robin, and himself, the duty or which would be to co-ordinate the various aspects of the defence scheme. The committee would be purely an advisory body, and would not dictate the defence policy. Regarding the R.N.Z.A., he was waiting" for suggestions from the Commandant before deciding what would be done with that force, whic, he admitted, had not been kept up to full strength. He approved of training Cadets at Duntroon, as he had been informed that no better officers had taken their j>lace in the N.Z.E.F. than those who' had graduated from that institution. He strongly approved of a large measure of physical training in connection with military development, but ho would not consider a reversion to the Volunteer system. The Territorial system was much preferable, proof of which was that it was on a Territorial basis that our Expeditionary Force was built up. Vocational training could not be overiooked, and General Birdwood'a suggestion that our officers be exchanged) with officers of the Indian forces was actually being carried out, though he could not say how many New Zealanders were in India at the present moment.