THE DEFENCE SCHEME

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 23, Issue 6, 23 January 1912, Page 4

THE DEFENCE SCHEME

REGISTRATION VERY SATISFACTORY. ONLY 53 REFUSALS. . A short time ago a report was circulated in England by the National Peace Conference to the effect that the New Zealand Defence scheme, bad broken down owing fb the failure of those liable for service to register. The Prime Minister has received a report-, from General Godley, Commandant of the Forces, giving the whole position and* figures as to registration throughout the country. From the report it appears that only fifty-three individuals refused to register. 'The report is as follows In December,' 1909, a return showing the numbers of youths of each year of age was supplied by the Government Statistician, based by estimation on the result of the previous census taken in 1906. On these figures the defence scheme of 1910, was, based as to registration to establish and maintain the defence force of the dominion as follows: Senior Cadets, total 38,231; Territorial force, total 30,600. The census taken in ■ April shows * the number of youths eligible for service in the Senior Cadets to be 35|698* and'of those of the ages for. Territorial, training to number 27,080. With this presumably correct estimate, compiled by the Government Statistician from the 1911 census* the position as X regards registration is that up to December, 1911, out of 35,698 Senior Cadets liable, 30,313'have registered, 7 and that out of 27,080 Territorials liable, 28,435 have registered.- Referring to the Senior Cadets and the fact that 5385 r have not registered, this is Xdue to the reason - that about that number of lads, between the ages of 14 and IS, are still attending primary schools, and by the Act are deemed Ito be Junior. Cadets until the date of leaving* the primary schools. Thus the youths of Senior Cadet ages are practically accounted for. It must • be noted thai more , men of the ages 18 to 21 registered than are shown by the . census return, of. 1911 as liable for registration. The. Defence Department so far are only a ware that 53 persons have refused to register. There may probably be more, but in view of the statistics now available tber? must be very few throughout the dominion who are . not registered or accounted for.