OUR TERRITORIALS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12099, 17 March 1910, Page 5

OUR TERRITORIALS.

EFFECT OF THE DEFEXCU ACT.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Defence matters m the Dominion are just now m v complete transition stage. 'Plie volunteers ceased to be., and were instantaneously resurrected by Act of Parliament a« Territorials, but there is v feeling of uncertainty about future operations. The military authorities are unable to completely enlighten tlie public just now m regard to future developments, but it is clear from what- Jin-s. Ij-pen done so far that the Territorials, otherwise the volunteers, have an inimenjsely improved status. Capitation has been .substantially, increased, so as to enable old liabilities to be cleared and full equipment provided, and a scale of pay for eaanp attendance has been provided, which will bring m. more revenue to the' battalion coffers as soon as the whole scheme becomes operative. There need be no more trouble .about recruiting, for m. the absence of volunteers the commander will simply requisition, hris district superior for the men required to fill the deficiency, and will get them from the general training section. Old Volunteers who are still attached to their company can remain under the new and improved conditions, and need not retire jintil the usual retiring age of 50 is reached. Each regiment of the Territorial forces -will have attached to it a permanent instructor. „ It is to the nonvolunteer that the- new Defence Act will tome as a call for self T .shcrifice. Efficient volunteers are to be . exempt from the compulsory training, But the young man who lias not gone m for volunteering jvill now be obliged to do a. certain minimum amount of military training. "jTo, make the position . clear, we will trace a schoolboy through tli© various stages of his development m the primary Phool. Between the ages, of 12 and 14 will be attached ;to the junior cadets. ■ora 14 to 18 his place will be m the senior cadets. If he leaves school it makes no difference to his liability. He can still be attached to the local cadet i,orps. Upon attaining . the age of 18 i ho youth will bo faced with an imporlant problem., which he, will be. free to : olve as suits his sense of patriotism or 1 lis disinclination to share the burden i,s well a« the, privilege of citizenship. ' These are the three alternatives, one of i 'hich must be selected : 1. Refuse military duty, and! suffer the penalties im--1 wsed bj r a court of law. 2. Join the territorials (otherwise the vohinteers, imder a iiew narno), and train ; with them ipr tliree years m his own. locality. 3. i Uvait the summons to the "general training camp, and ]>ut m fourteen days ani roally wider military instructors and tamp discipline, and twelve half-days at the nearest Territorial centre. As there is no way of honorably i voiding training, it is probable that 1 a 1 irge proportion of young men ■•will Select Ilveir local Territorial force as the train-' ing medium, . but "-the alternative, tlie jam,p, will be attractive enough to the average UeaJthy individual,; and -his' ex--1 wieneo of it -will make lu'm better fitted for his civil as well "'as military obligations. Th 6 camp work., will Ue under i ho . .instructuMi of members of tho perj lanent force, , nn'd -nviU probably take 1 \)\esi similar to the present cbonpajij' trill. The "raw material" will 'learn J ow to tako sentry and outpost duty, Uleconnoiti'e, to do efficient woi'jk with tho rifle m. tins trenches,: and ajso to '1 .audio the shovel to make the trenches. The ordinary a ttaclc and:, defenca jnovel ient«, including- skirmishing, will he j rovided,. iuid the budding soldier taught 'to look after himself" both Nin rejsard to hygi6n,e and tbe proper utilisation ' of rations. I No social position can bo respected. AH are -liiible for .service, and there will bje i lie , snine. opportunity for everyone, vfith-a liking for military pursuits, to continue, theih and secure promotion by hieiiit, ajjd>, merit only.. There are 2jL,55Q volu.ntee;rs or Territorials In the Divminion. but ■militory experts are o»" opinion tliat 30,000 highly-trained men shomld be available if !New Zeiiland is to dpfe.nd itself «officienUy» .and tike, whole of this big force cajri b& obtained b.y tVa.tning the physioallv fit males l>etweeit t^e ages of 117 and 21. To equip the iifoitpasad number, .moro . iirnls have to bp imported, white the -arrangement'. <>r training ciimps and> provision for instructtoni }s a- big prelinMnaiy task'before tll.o eligible men caiii be called upon to put m their training. . A proclamation wjill 'shortly be issued, calling', upon all* etigible persons to register tJii«ir nameis wjth the prescribed officer, according to the Act. Tho enrolment upon the reeisiup of a school at ten died by the individual is a sufficient- registration, but ff^ilurp 'to •■enrol, nj^der othe^ circumstahee« renders the defaulter liable to •»4ftij.o. as a man who serves 'm the ■ Tor--ri,torials will not (be to puti n ti;np,at the training oainp. It is an.to,eipated > that a. great imnetus "vjill lie given to tha volunteer side of tljiip defenoe movement. One of the chief diffiouiltiies m carrying out i.Ho> genv\u\ -schtimc is the liability to caus*?. dislqcation, or, at any rate, serious iiiconvenience m. some ; br4iii : p)i,as of industry. Tp avoiid this the geneiul traiming period ■n^ill be spread over five or six montlis or the year, and batches of seyoral 'lvundixds taken -periodically from tlv> different districts. The preparation of the list of ■ eligible males will go on almost hn.miediia.tely, and it. is anticipated th'it the first batch of t high will go into camp about the beginning of next year.