THE TERRITORIALS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 87, 1 June 1911, Page 5

THE TERRITORIALS.

commandant iNtEiiviKvvu’). L )LAL AND INN! >i■A’ AL interests srr:>:Ei). !ii ' ; in- i;iu; universal military trahrii'■ i; iri'o operation, Major-Gesrcral (I y, Commandant oj the i - ore-:*.*!, is endeavouring to create si system :ui anted neaiiy as possible to tho conditions not. only ot the country gene; .>ll v, I;tit of particular industries and ejassos oi ! individuals. When lie has completed a prospectivo visit to Napier amt Thames, ho 'will have been to every part of the Dominion and hcoor.ro. thoroughly acquainted with loco! conditions. ■{ FX’i’i/i fi OF A SOUTHERN TOUR. The Commandant arrived in W’olILny.ton INoni Southland on Saturday, a.nd declared/tiiat he found everyone greatly dciiing to iiclp in forwarding tho scheme. ‘‘Tho results were most satisfactory’, most excellent,” he said, vv.ien ashed hy a “New Zealand Timor’’ representative how tho work unde 1 ’ Ids charge is progressing in the South island. "Tho area officers arc working very well indeed. They had practically visited the whole of Southland. 'i ho only thing ! found was that there warn still a little, misapprehension among tho farmers as to what idle effect of compnlsorv train-

ing will he upon Their industry. It has keen practically decided that men from farms will he ablo to take their training during the time of tho year most convenient to them.” “STUDYING EVERYBODY.” “Nobody seems to grasp that wo are going to make the training convenient to the people who are doing trained. Wo will consult the convenience of the greatest number, and only a, few need suffer inconvenience. Jf it is di/ficuß for anyone to do his training with his proper unit, and a really genuine reason is produced, his wishes will Ijo respecter!. For instance, a young man might ho going up for examination. We recognise most thoroughly his desire not to have Iris studies .interfered with, if it is near tho time of tho examination. Such a person would I irconic what wo will term a I ‘casual,’ who may do his training at a time most convenient to himself. Frits will he in training nearly all the year, so that ‘casuals’ may he attached to one at anv time.” " CAM P LIFE. Vi hen will the central training camps lie opened ? “Not at present" we must get things more settled.” The question suggested to his mind the anxiety of many parents regardjug the tone of the training camps. There are to he no camps for cadets. The senior cadets will do their training in their own district. “All preliminary training will ho done at home close to tlio men’s homes,” tho General added. “Tim training camps for the general training section will come later, when things are more setthd. As for tho tone of those camps, it. will bo set by tho best yyvmg men, and 1 shall insist That it must prevail.” RESULTS WJLL TAKE TIME. “It is to 1)0 hoped the public will have patience, and not expect big results suddenly, because after registration is completed, tho work of posting, a very difficult matter, will have to i»o done. Each individual will have to be allotted a place in tho scheme, and many interests have to lie studied. There is the suitability of the man for the various arms, the location in relation to residence and territorial conditions, tho employee’s interest, and that of tire employer.” He explained in detail what was proposed to be clone in order to prevent any dislocation of business in firms whore several employees would bo required to undergo training, and in order to tljfcfe. would arise in 'country dtscricAs where men were scattered over' a wade area. Employers should consult tiro nearest aergeant-rnajor or area officer as, to tiro best way of overcoming such difficulties as might crop up. There was no getting away from ' the fact that there would l>n very great difficulties, but then the scheme was; a very big thing. Few people,- die thought, realised how big it was, rich tiro real work would only begin when registration was completed, .tie wanted" everybody’s assistance and co-oper-ation. Finally, General Codlcy expressed the opinion that tho compulsory wanting course would ho loss severe j than the old volunteer requirements. ! “Drills and parades being interchangeable makes the training very 1 oasv." I. really do not think it will I fall as hardly "upon the individual as ' the old volunteer training did in a unit whore a lot of. activity was. displayed.” As for the laggards who nor registered he vomarrcod that _ liroie had boon some misunderstanding on the part of young men as to whether tiro training was to be universe.!. There was n-O question about that. Evcrvono was going to Ire trained somehow, and failure (of those under twentv-one years of age) to register would result in the dilatory young mon being posted possibly to some less attractive arm of tho service.