NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCES

Southland Times, Issue 17732, 9 August 1917, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCES

ANNUAL REPORT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 7. The annual report of the Defence Forces of New Zealand was presented to the House by the Minister (Sir James Allen) to-day. The report stated that the method and details for demobilisation and the reversion of the military forces to a peace footing, both as regards personnel and material, at the conclusion of the war are having due consideration and will be in readiness when the time arrives. Notwithstanding the great difficulties inseparable from the present abnormal strain, the drills and parades of both the Territorial and cadet forces had been carried out satisfactorily during the past training year. In conformation with the policy of the Defence Department, and acting on the knowledge within its possession, it was considered essential to hold the annual training camps. Every possible endeavour was, however, made to place the minimum strain on both employer and employee engaged in essential industries. More than 300 officers and over 12,000 other ranks who attended the Territorial camps during 1916 had been enlisted in the Expeditionary Force. The whole effort of the Territorial staff, the report stated, is being directed to send the Territorial officer, non-commissioned officser, and soldier into the Expeditionary Force with a satisfactory standard of discipline and individual efficiency. There are now 231 rifle clubs in the dominion. There are at present 29 staff cadets from New Zealand at the Royal Military College of Australia. They are more than holding their own, and the commandant of the college speaks most highly of them, and expresses his appreciation of the manner in which they have worked. During the coming year it is intended to devote particular attention to the instruction and training of the officers and noncommissioned officers of the cadet and Territorial forces. A dominion staff exercise will again be held for senior staff officers, followed by a district exercise in all four districts, which will be attended by senior regimental officers. These will be held by the Director of Military Training. Following these exercises will come the usual district refresher courses. As the establishment of the New Zealand Staff Corps at present authorised will not be sufficient to meet future requirements, an increase in the various ranks at the close of the war is under consideration, and it is proposed that a number of vacancies for lieutenants be thrown open to the warrant officers and non-commis-sioned officers of the R.N.Z.A. and N.Z.P.S. in recognition of their services in the commissioned ranks of the Expeditionary' Force and in temporary appointments in the dominion. It is proposed to make appointments to these vacancies on the results of a competitive examination. The strength of the New Zealand Defence Forces on the 30th April, 1917, was; Under Territorial Force, 22,174; Senior Cadets, 38,832 ; rifle clubs, 7975. The whole of the general training section has been posted to the Territorial Force. The figures quoted do not include any part of the. Expeditionary Force reinforcements under training in the dominion. This year, owing to war conditions, it is proposed to post the whole of the cadets available to the Territorial force, which on April 30 was 8102 below establishment.