COLONIAL DEFENCE.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, 1 August 1904, Page 399

COLONIAL DEFENCE.

While army and navy reform are so prominently before the public at home it is pleasing to note that several of our colonies are taking steps to institute a better system of defence. Canada and Australia are both legislating iD this direction. The Canadian Militia Bill provides for a military council comprising the Minister for Defence and the chief military officers to take the place of the general officer commanding, and the Federal Government proposes having an InspectorGeneral under an Advisory Board for the same purpose. This movement has been rendered necessary by the general dissatisfaction so often expressed of late at the present state of Australian defence, and New Zealand would do well to follow suit as promptly as possible, for our defence system is in quite as unsatisfactory a state as were those of our sister Colonies before these reforms were proposed.