MILITARY DISCIPLINE IN AUSTRALIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8135, 9 May 1906, Page 3

MILITARY DISCIPLINE IN AUSTRALIA.

Sydney papers to hand show that Colonel Antill baa raised a greater *torm than he probably intended, by hia outspoken remarks on taking laave of his comrado9. The officers sitting round the dinner table, among whom was General Gordon, the Disrtict Commandant, were certainly placed in an embarassing position, in that they had to listen to the guest of the evening making CAUSTIC REMARKS about their superiors, the Commonwealth Military Board. Colonel Antill, who is described na one of the finest officers in Australia, advised bis hearers not to vote for any one at the coming elections who was m favour of the Board, which, he implied, was incompetent. A Victoian officer HAD BEEN SUMMONED to appear before a Board improperly and illegally constituted. Even if hia character were vindicated, what became of discipline? He would naturally be afraid to give an order of which he had any doubt. Yet under the prosent regime any of his comrades might at any time find themselves in a similar position. One of the highest positions Service, one requiring the greatest experience, and a large amount of theoretical knowlndge, was occupied by a gentleman who had been oooupied in purely clerical work for the last twenty years. No stop was taken by the officers present to sl.op the Colonel's utterances, and the public is now waiting .to see what course THE AUTHORITIES will take with men who permit their superiors to be criticised iu this way in their presence. In the meantime a storm of indignant criticism is bo >ing directed at the Hoard by officers, who, of course, are careful not to give their names. One prominent Sydney officer declares that the Board is quite incompetent, that in twelvtt mouths they huve done nothing, that the STOCKS OF AMMUNITION are deplorably short, and that, in ■brief, none of the branches of the ■Service are fit to take the field. There are, he says, only 120 rounds -of rifle ammunition per weapon available and there are'not enough shells to keep tue big guns at the Sydney ports going for half an hour. But the severest condemnation comes from Sir George French, ■eX'Commandant of the Queensland and New South Wales forces. Sir George points out that in the Imperial Army, if a soldier has a nomplaiut he must mako it to a superior officer, either his captain. for bis colonel, or the officer commanding the district. But in Australia it seems that "a man has to complain to his Member of Parliament, and if he cannot gat redress from him, then he complains to his senator, and if he gets no satisfaction in this quarter, he goes to the Minister. The matter is evidently a political nud not a military one; and'bo ends military discipline." The hope is expressed that the incident will open up the whole question of military control and lead to , reform.