The Territorial Army.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 16, 18 October 1911, Page 4

The Territorial Army.

The Commandant of the New Zealand Forces, Major-General A. J. Godley, C. 8., arrived in Auckland on Friday from Wellington to confer with Colonel C. B. Wolfe and the staff on matters connected with the inauguration of the new scheme in the district. He remains in Auckland! till next Wednesday, seeing as many of the senior officers as possible, and he will inspect the new guns that have been mounted at the North Head. The question of the fort at Burton’s Point, as suggested by Lord Kitchener, is in abeyance just now, but it is understood that the new battery at North Head makes it unnecessary at the present time. There are several matters connected with the new training scheme upon which there does not appear to be the clearest understanding among the public. When there w;ere referred to the Commandant on Friday he explained very lucidly, and his remarks will be read with interest, not only by those immediately affected by the new order of things, but by the general public as well. “I do not think the matter is rightly understood in some quarters,” said General Godley- when the question of the 33 per cent reduction was mentioned. “There is no idea of in any way modifying the universal nature of the training. In the senior cadet stages, between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, it will 'be absolutely universal; only those—probably- about five per cent—to whom the training might do physical harm, not 'being taken. But when we come to the Territorial army, the conditions are somewhat different. The Territorial army is for the defence of the country, and,as was stated by Lord Kitchener, and also by Sir Joseph Ward last year in Parliament, only those who are thoroughly and absolutely fit can be taken — men who can carry their pack of 50 to 601 b, and march twenty miles a day, and the average of elimination in this country will probably work out, as was stated in Parliament last year, at about 33 per cent. It may be more in some cases, and less in others. It is not a question of numbers, as in the Auckland district ’ so far from having too many men we shall in many parts have too few, but the Territorial army cannot be looked upon as a school of physical training, and only those absolutely fit. as I have said, can therefore be taken. It is in the senior cadet stages that this phy sical training will be given absolutely universally. At present we have quite enough to do to get the Territorial force started with the thoroughly fit, but as soon as it has a fair start the Government then intend to consider the question of training the balance, either in the general training section, m perhaps by raising second battalions, etc. Our hands are now full without considering this at once, and it will have to wait for consideration until next year. The position, put shortly, is that from 14 to 18 you have a school of physical training, but from 18 the annv is for the defence of the country, and in it von can therefore only have the physically fit, and must eliminate those who are not.” • “Is 33 per cent a high average.' “No, it is really a low due to the good physique of the youth of: the Dominion. In Continental armies it is much higher, and at Home it works out at about 60 per cent.” _ “There was some discussion m tne House about non-prosecution in cases where there is failure to register under the Act. Are we to understand that there will he absolutely no prosecutions?” “The situation in regard to registration is that the policy of the Government is not to prosecute. They do not wish to proseente if it can be possibly avoided, and they hope that the scheme will go ou without any necessity to prosecute, but the law must of course be upheld, and if necessary legal proceedings will have to be taken. The Government wish to give everybody a chance of fulfilling his duties as a citizen without submitting him to the indignity of court proceedings. It must be remembered that quite apart from the question of prosecution anybody who does not register thereby forfeits his rights as a citizen, and in the future will not be entitled to vote. I do not think that it is generally realised that a man will automatically lose his rights as a citizen if he neglects to fulfil his obligation for military services, and speaking personally I should think that this in itself would be a sufficient deprivation without any fear of a prosecution.” When asked whether then was any-

thing in the rumour that it was not pro. posed to continue the training up to the age of twenty-five, General Godley said:; “The law says that a man must be trained up to the age of twenty-five, and there is no intention of altering the law, but subject to the up-keep of establishment the regulations contemplate that after four years’ service—which is the mini, muni time in which the military authorities consider a man can be made efficient —a man may, if he has made himself efficient during 'that time, be then allowed to go to the reserve. The effect of this would be that a man would be then able to go to the reserve at the age of twenty-two instead of twenty-five, thereby shortening the training by three years. The age must he retained legally at twenty-five in case it should be necessary to keep men up to that age, as for instance in case the population suddenly decreased or there occurred an outbreak of an epidemic. The population is fortunately increasing, and there is, I hope, no fear of an epidemic, so the effect will practically be that those who wish to go to the reserve will be able to do so after four years’ efficient service.”