H.—l9

1914. NEW ZEALAND.

DEFENCE FORCES OF NEW ZEALAND: REPORT OF THE GENERAL OFFICER COMMANDING THE FORCES FOR THE PERIOD FROM 20th JUNE, 1913, TO 25th JUNE, 1914.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

To the Hon. the Minister op Defence. Sir, — Department of Defence, Headquarters Office, Wellington, 25th June, 1914. I have the honour to submit herewith my report on the Forces under my command from the date of my last year's report to the opening of Parliament on the 25th June, 1914. Since my last annual report was rendered I was enabled by the Government to attend last year's Army manoeuvres in England. I trust that the experience which I thereby gained may be of value to the New Zealand Forces. I reported to you fully on my return. In view of the recent report which has been rendered to you by the Inspector-General of the Oversea Forces, I now propose to confine myself as far as possible to such statements as are necessary to enable you to see what has actually been done during the past year, and how far it will be practicable to put his recommendations immediately into effect. It is satisfactory to note that he has been able to ipply to the Forces of the Dominion the test of their standard of efficiency for war. Three main recommendations stand out conspicuously :— (a.) That the Quartermaster-General's Branch at Army Headquarters and in districts shall be so reconstituted as to free Commanders as far as possible from administrative work, and allow them to devote more time to the training of the troops. (b.) That in country districts, to avoid overlapping and waste of time, energy, and money in the travelling of instructors, concentrations in small bodies shall take the place of drills and parades, and forage and rations shall-be provided for the purpose. (c.) That, in order to ensure that squadron and company officers train their own men instead" of relying on Permanent Adjutants and instructors to do it for them, the instruction carried out by the Permanent Staffs shall be primarily devoted to Cadets, recruits, General Training Section, and Reservists, and also that in order again to avoid overlapping and unnecessary travelling their sphere of action shall be strictly geographical. I am arranging to put these recommendations into effect at once, as far as possible. As regards («), the Staff at Headquarters will be reorganized in three branches only — namely, those of the Chief of the General Staff, the Adjutant-General, and the QuartermasterGeneral. The Departments of Ordnance and Finance will be absorbed in the latter, which will constitute the business branch of the Army, the General Staff Branch being responsible for its training and .the Adjutant-General for its personnel and discipline. The officer who has hitherto held the appointment of Director of Ordnance will become Chief Instructor of Garrison Artillery and Inspector of all Artillery, coast defences, fortifications, guns, and ammunition. The officer who has hitherto been Director of Accounts will become the head of the first section of the new business branch under the Quartermaster-General. No extra expenditure or increase of personnel is involved by these changes.

I—H. 19.