TRAINING THE DEFENCE. FORCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14655, 24 January 1912, Page 3

TRAINING THE DEFENCE. FORCE.

THE NEW SYSTEM. j ] h . AIMS OF THE COMMANDANT. ' If any evidence were required of tlie | 1 earnestness of tlic Commandant and j s headquarters . staff in the carrying out ! i of their duties, or if nnv evidence is ' wanted that tlio present system of : i military training is goimt to" be- main-'. 1 taiued and pushed on in the most i thorough way. nothing better could be I 1 adduced than a brief description of the i system of training which "tho officers 3 am called upon to undergo. < In the past the instruction of the i men was generally iianded over to per- : inanent- instructors, usually staff ser- i goants, aj-.d Hit; company officers were < ought to Save been in < that is. in respect to tho actual in- 1 Rtrnctiiin of their men. ■ In the future wh.--i is honed for hv : the Commandant of. tor Forces aa.l_ the < will be'so trained, ant] will train'thece,-- 1 selves, so as to be ah'., lo oi-iruei iho ! men whom t!«v rome-and in all the ■ details of the : r miilinrv duii-s To assist olf.eor.-. ic 'is houed in the future lo establish ~„ur--« „r ii'-i":- ' lion; Hut. ~f course. i"!„- main di;!icultv the nuihoriio-s -.vil have to contend witli in this c .anteet am ui'l he the (iiffiruHv Ilia;, Iho oilier* themselves will have in tniling awav from their business or vreaih,,-, for a r-nifi-cieut time lo enable i ; .-om -,.-, aitc-nd such courses of insrrnoi'oii It is desired that employers «;!! faci'jtate the attendance of ofnevs at fath courses fair that aa ' o'ueo'r "hair' 'soee'd his liard-r-nrn- (1 holiday in a'; teudi?n; that-' tiaie' f,,r rr-l'„xa'l ion. " 1 ~''is tlil-iv-I ti,.u conr.-'r's in '..,!,.':-" than hohdiy j time. FIT TO IJO'.Ti HAXTC. j are promoted a:---* fit ; . hold -."..e r-.-.nV. I to which, they wish to V-.. pio-mo d. , periodically"* '°Vhe 'T-aeiC; io---; •',-," . c-.-.:n!.n-;ed'on the same -v-um as thev I are at Home, j At the .-tan of -a r.o-.- systeni * emiI hc ; "' l^/, ! it;!as l eH' ( \, l !;'1o'' ,; ;;;'(-;.,V'in! i pert to"sueeess'rnliy"p.-..---' i b-c ".'sn'.-hml j i of study t/'iho'"-'■'' ■■■■ - "'."'•.'.'.'.'■.",'.?!" ! ! both fro,,, hooks and el* r-"i .■r],.,V.y \ XN.rrKuaTOX n; c;;i:;;::-iT)XD- ! KN'tn. ; | _ The.general itaff - if. ers en.-; odi-r j country in the varcc; distrh-.s are j j ready to in-:ruet .fib-ors by ecrro- i ; spe'idenee. where ■.-,< ;rr mean;; roe im- ] • possible In the s?;;! Rio- oi .•• : .--h I ■ front time to time to i-tudv' military • hllbva-ts. j IUiACTICA* ; JN«Tr!rCTION IN i As regards' 'practo'';' inslruethn in. • the held. that.is ro;-rdod by head- j : looaUy'V'whc.; ! 'cV he'ow;.''av 1 I i exercises in the liehl. This in?; <\:ctioi; ' can be nerie as so '- as ;,:--.Me ti ; to suit. <-::io.:s of hi. ..'• e.-."di".T e.r.d ! : of units a,!.-,-. r-ho3bl lv able to do tho i same with the ofiieers under their : command. i 11:0. other means of practical in- - struetion in the he'd is the bnedhaa; fcy company or other ■.■ifieers of thrir I ; men in the is rid where; ver opnort'jnjty i occurs, on whale or h'do-'hiv ' oa i-adcs ■ ! ; b t. of course !;. e . ; . ■ ;- . '„,.'' .-e-'-vI i '. that a.t present oiay c!?iver.-;-.-i- work i can bo carried out,' as the r-v-k c-d file of the Territorial forces jr. r -:«- . tically recruite who are not ve: fit to : tnidoriake o-.ra-aii.ms in th» "f 'A i Puring +,,;. ~;,-,„,.„ ;i,.. t <nyo jV,-t]v ; to be held during this trainine; sea-'-ea. ; o;dy e'ementarv worlt will lie carried ■ out.__Jfeu must learn to wall; before , you can run. ; biialG" CADETS. ! The senior caoVi.s a-e bv ' the Connnau;!a:iL as re:Jh- a v. rv ini- : portant nart of the oia-a:iisiit:o;i These youths are. now between e7;e ;-«,- of : 14 and 13. They arc at a v;;Vin- ; pressconnblo acre, and what thev arc : tauidit now will make all the d'fix-r----i once to them in tile i'nture. It jY; 1 hoped to so train them lhat. thev will • eiit-'r the tiiaks of the various Tcrrij torial tmiis thoreuehiv instructed in ; company drill, and in tire recruits' j eeurse of miisketrv and discirdhae. so ! that the work of the officers of the j Territorial units will be much lieht- ! ened, and so that thev will lie. able j to carry on their instruction no!; from j the actual beginning, as they have to do now. j The Commandant lias already intij mated that suitable cadet officers are ; badly wanted—that is, officers of tlia ) particular stamp who will he able to : deal with these youths and young men ! and carry out their training. Tito ; senior cadets are at an neca -.riven thev } can he taught habits of discipline and j obedience—habits which will be pood for them in all d-eminments of hfe. This ' I is an aspect oi the matter which should j appeal specially to employers, j The reports already received by

iieadquai ters r-hmv that keenness and enthusiasm are being shown by both Xeriitarials and cadets iu their* work. A CON'iHAST. It -n-ill giva an idea of tho light call that is made upoa our young "men in respect to lßiiitjj-y Lruiiuas f- a companion is made of what is reejiii-ed ue:e, and wnafc is required in Switzerland, ior instance. In i'c.v Zealand lbs Territorial Force minimum i;i training ; o be tarried out annually consists ox: (a) thirty drills, (b; twelve nali-day or sis whole-day parades, (c) ssven days aunual training in camp, (d) prescribed course of musketry. Senior cadets for same period: (a.) five drills, (ii> six half-day parades, (c; ' prescribed e.,iir.se- of niusketrv. In ..Switzerland, as the result of a referendum taken on the subject, tho following is required:—ln his first year the recruit carries out a continuous course of training for from between sixi-y-sevc-H and ninc-ty-two days, according to the arm of * service to which ho belongs. Moreover, tho recruit works on an average for eight hours ami-half a day at his training during that period. Cp to tho age of thirty-two he carries out continuous training each year from thirteen to seventeen cays, mrnrthng to the arm or service to which ho Wongs. The recruit joins at the age of twenty, so ll:.-iL_t!;.. :;e: ; eJ'<i l.abi.ity iii ■■iiist line. as it is called, is twelve years, as a-inn-t seven year; in our Terrii,.r:il Force-.. In Switzerland, it i»v he mei.i. eicd. nil citizens have either to g:\e per'onr.i service, or. if dUqua.iihcu incriiiroui, have to pay a nnlitarv t:.\-. acconiiug to income, from £1 to :■_]•_''.) a year i ( ,r a certain number of years. — \\ cuingtou "Evening Post."