CITIZEN ARMY

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160732, 19 August 1920, Page 7

CITIZEN ARMY

TERRITORIAL SYSTEM CONDEMNED DEFENCE REPORT COMMENT. (Bv Telegraph—Special to “Herald”). WELLINGTON, August 18. The annual report of the officer commanding the defence forces purposely avoids dealing with the future defence policy which, as it states, is a matter for the Government to settle; but it urges the Government to decide a policy as soon as possible in order that the Department may proceed with the necessary reorganisation.

He proceeds to emphasise that the following lessons of the war may be applied to New Zealand: (1) An efficient army can quickly he organised, provided every man has had a limited amount of training, and there is an ample supply of modern equipment and highly-trained officers and non-com-missioned officers.

(2) The large persentage of manpower found by medical examination to be physically unfit for service, points to the necessity of a thorough course in physical training for all youths. It is pointed out that never in the history of the Dominion has there been such a large number of highly-trained officers, non-commissioned officers, and men having actual war experience, which, if used for a citizen army, would be of inestimable benefit; but, unfortunately, only a few are offering their services, the majority preferring to wait for a scheme of defence reorganisation. As to the future, the report indicates the possibility of definite departure from the old territorial system, as it declares the experience gained in carrying out this system shows that an attempt to carry out training in sparsely populated districts has been expensive and unproductive of efficiency, and burdensome to trainers and their employers. Another disadvantage is that the limitation of training to a territorial force having a maximum establishment of 30,000 has resulted in over 50 per cent, of those liable under the Act receiving no training, which leads to dissatisfaction, while physically unfit, who would derive most benefit from physical training, have been exempted. The report shows that the citizen army on June Ist comprised the following: Territorial force 31,642, Senior Cadets 31,929, Rifle Clubs 5523, general training section 328; total 09,442, including 1604 officers.

The report suggests that future administration of the Military Service Act in regard to defaulters be undertaken by the Justice Department.