DEFENCE SYSTEM.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2126, 7 December 1920, Page 6

DEFENCE SYSTEM.

NEW SCHEME OF TRAINING. LEGISLATIONJJNNECESSARY. [Special to The San.] WELLINGTON. Dec. 6. The defence policy of the Dominion has been the subject of some conflicting statements lately. The actual position is that the scheme of training and organisation referred by the Minister of Defence (Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes) to the Defence | Committee of the House of Repre-. sentatives last Session, and placed by the committee before Parliament, I is the accepted policy of the Government. The committee did not make recommendations —it merely endorsed the scheme that had been I drafted by Defence Headquarters and approved by the Minister. The 'scheme will not come into full operation for some time. The Minister of Defence stated in the House of Representatives that there would be no training camps this year, except for officers and non-commissioned officers. The first camps for recruit training under the new scheme may be held in the summer of next year, but dates have not yet been arranged. The training of officers and non-commissioned officers is to proceed. The details of organisation are receiving attention. The. postponement of the recruit camps is not considered to be detrimental to national defence at the present time. The Government wishes to interfere as little as possible with employment during the period of reconstruction, and it feels that the demobilised members of the Expeditionary Force constitute an easily accessible reserve of fully-trained men, who would be available at short notice in case of emergency. It is very important, moreover, that the requisite number of fully-trained officers and noncommissioned officers should be available when the regular recruit training begins. This training is to be carried out in district concentration camps, the period ranging from two weeks to six weeks, according to the capacity of the recruit, and the degree of training secured in the cadets. The recruits will enter camp when between 18 and 19 years of age, and the youths who are drafted into the Territorial Force will have 11 days in camp each year, for the next four years, except in cases where certain drills and half-day parades can ( conveniently be substituted for a part of the camp training. The Minister of Defence stated to-day that he did not think any legislation would be required in order to bring the new scheme into operation. All New Zealand youths were liable to serve in the Army under the present law, and the terms and conditions of the training could be defined by Regulation.