AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE

Otago Witness, Issue 3556, 9 May 1922, Page 26

AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE

MILITARY FORCES TO BE REORGANISED. „ SYDNEY, April 19. The Minister for Defence and the members of the Military Board are at present engaged m framing the new policy for the defence forces of the Commonwealth. One of the most important matters to be decided before the policy can be framed is the future of compulsory military training-, and the Citizen Forces. It is regarded as certain that, although the training might be restricted to the more populous areas, owing to the large amount of money involved in the provision of stores and the attendance of instructors in outlying districts, there will be a reduction of personnel of all the exi3tmg units. The object is to retain an organisation which would be capable of providing the nucleus of an efficient army in the event of war. To obtain the small but efficient Citizen Force, it is likely that the standard of physical fitness will be raised and that, although the compulsory training system will be retained, citizen soldiers will be selected from the most enthusiastic youths. To reduce the expenditure a number of senior officers on the General Staff will be retired and compensated, and it is expected that the permanent staff of officers and non-commissioned officers will he reduced. The proportion of training which will be allotted to the “home” and continuous periods will have to be decided.