THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 32, 6 February 1913, Page 6

THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE.

(Per Press Association.) Christchurch, February 5. At the conclusion of the. inspection of the Senior Cadets last night a reporter had a brief interview with General Godley, Commandant of the New Zealand Defence Forces. Regarding a recent cablegram from London to the effect that the Hon. Jas. Allen, Minister of Defence, had expressed a hope that New Zealand would place an expeditionary force of 8000 men at the disposal of the Imperial authorities for service in any part of the globe, the General said: “I hope it is quite clear to everybody that this message only refers to volunteers—to those who in the event of war would volunteer for service outside New Zealand in the same way as the contingents did in South Africa. There was no question,” General Godley added, “of any member of a citizen army being sent abroad in a military capacity. No one would leave New Zealand except as volunteers. About 10,000 men went to South Africa during the Boer War, and Mr Allen had evidently felt perfectly safe in estimating that a force of 8000 would be available should similar circumstances arise.”