THE DEFENCE SCHEME.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13020, 8 February 1911, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE DEFENCE SCHEME.

CANTERBURY AND NELSON FORCES.

THE REARRANGEMENT

NELSON ARTILLERY RETAINED

[United Thess Association.]

Chrlstohurch, Jan 31. The reorganisation of the defence forces of Canterbury, including Nelson and the West Coast, provides lor the following:— CAVALRY. First Regiment: Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, squadrons at JMlcsmere,Sheffield, Rangiora, and Ciuvorden; with an extra detached squadron at Kaikoura. Second Regiment, headquarters ac Timaru and squadrons at Ashburton, Geraldino, Timaru and Waimate. Third Regiment: Nelson; headquarters Nelson or Blenheim; squadrons at Blenheim, Tapawera, Motueka, and Takaka> INFANTRY. First battalion, Christehurch; second battalion, South Canterbury (headquarters at Timaru); third battalion Nelson (a half battalion to be recruited in Marlborough and the nortnern half of the Nelson Land District and half in the southern half of. tho Nelson Land district and Westland.) ARTILLERY. One battery to ba stationed at Christchurch, and one at Nelson. There will be an ammunition column at Christchurch. Garrison artillery: The two companies to' bo amalgamated into one at Lvttelton. Tho Engineers company will be as at present in Christchurch. while the field troop of engineers will bo stationed at either Christchurch or Nelson. SIGNALLING COMPANIES. The present Cycle Company will, it is hoped, becomo the signalling or communicating company under the new scheme. The Infantry Field Ambulanoe Will be as at present in Christchurch, with a greatly increased strength. Tho cayalry ileid ambulance will probably have headquarters it Ashburton, and if not there probably at Nelson or Blenheim.. The Officers' Trailing Corps will cease to exist as a, separate organisation, and the members.will take their place cither in the senior cadets or the territorial forces as the case may be. The Commandant conferred with Lieutenant-Colonel Cossgrove, Chief Dominion Scout, and explained to him that there would be no clashing of the Boy Scouts and senior cadets. He would be glad to take any properly formed Boy Scout units, but it was to bo distinctly understood that for the purposes of drill they were senior cadets and bad to do the amount of senior cadetst' drill laid down by the regulations. After that they would be Boy Scouts *s much «« th«y pkased.