OUR DEFENCE SYSTEM.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15955, 25 October 1919, Page 4

OUR DEFENCE SYSTEM.

A subject that must soon engage the attention of the Government and the Defence authorities was referred to by Lieut.-Colonel Hughes at the Seventh Regiment dinner on Thursday evening, when ho expressed the opinion that either the strength of the‘Territorial Forces would have to be increased or a system of volunteering ro-in trod need. The. Defence Act; of 1913 provided for the gradual military training of every male from the age of If to the ago of 25, after which service in the reecrvo up to the age of 30 is compulsory, tho principle recognised being that every cue, unless physically unfit, must; take his share in the defence of the Dominion. The strength of tlio Territorial Forces was estimated at 30,000, but since 1913 tho population of the Dominion has considerably increased, with the result that thousands more of young men are eligible for tho Territorials Gian the regulations make provision for. This point was emphasised by Colonel Hughes, who pointed out Gic unfairness of compelling some men to join the forces, while others were exempted. lie suggested that cither the regulations should bo altered to embrace ail who are eligible, or a system based on Gic. old volunteer method should be rev introduced. The question of Defence is one that will have to bo reconsi derod in the immediate future, in view of the radical changes which the war effected and the possibilities of Gie future which causa so much grave concern. War ap/pears to be a permanent fact in human nature, and until human nature alters, defence of a nation must also be a permanent fact. At the same time Defence expenditure must be carefully watched, and in Gils regard we are confident that a great saving can lx; effected in New Zealand without in any way impairing the efficiency of the Territorial Forces. Departments, of no real benefit to tho service, have been created, as was instanced by Colonel Macdonald whea giving evidence before the Defence Commission. One such employed 125 officials, who he said simply created work for other departments, which would have more time to devote to necessitous duties if the services of 100 out of the 125 were dispensed with. That was the view held by a prominent Defence officer, and there is reason to believe that the pruning-knife could with material advantage be used in other branches of tho Defence service. In the circumstances, Gie point raised by Lieut.-Colonel Hughes is important. The Defence regulations do not provide for all eligible for service being compelled to receive military training. And this opens up Gie question whcGicr a period of seven years 5 service in the Territorials is necessary to make a soldier. A limitation of the jierim? of service would get over the difficulty suggested by Colonel Hughes, and the expense cf Defence might be considerably reduced by the substitution of a measure of voluntary service or a partially-paid force, though it must be admitted that our past experience of a similar system was not of an encouraging nature. These are matters that must engage attention at the earliest period, ftw tho present policy of drift cannot much longer be tolerated.