H.—l9

7

20. Area System. The area system is working very satisfactorily, and as time goes on it should work even more smoothly than it does at present. In one or two instances it has been necessary to alter group and area boundaries, but this has been a simple matter. Owing to the difficulty of training in very sparsely populated districts, six exempted areas have been gazetted—three in the North Island and three in the South. 21. Registration. The registration of all youths available for training up to the 31st May has resulted as follows: —

From the latest census returns available, it appears that 27,080 between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one were liable for registration as Territorials, and 35,698 between the ages of fourteen and eighteen as Senior Cadets. It will thus be seen that the registration of Territorials has been in excess of those estimated to be liable. The shortage of 2,501 in the Senior Cadets is accounted for by the fact that about that number of boys over the age of fourteen are still at primary schools, and are therefore included in the Junior Cadets. 22. Medical Examination. The medical examinations for 1912 will be carried out on the same lines as last year. The medical standard for Senior Cadets will remain the same. Those available for Territorial service will be classed by the Medical Officers as under : (a) Totally unfit for service; (6) fit for Territorial Force; or (c) fit to serve in a Rifle Club. Judging by the results of the medical examinations, 1911, it is estimated that about 5 per cent, will be classed under (a), totally unfit for service; about 60 per cent, under (6),. fit for service in Territorial Force; and about 35 per cent, under (c), fit for service with a Rifle Club. The report of the Director of Medical Services for the year is attached as Appendix F. 23. Musketry. A memorandum on musketry training was prepared and issued by the General Staff (Appendix D). It has not yet been possible to carry out the annual course of musketry (except for old soldiers), owing to the bulk of the Territorial Force being in the most elementary recruit stage, but I trust that early next summer we shall be able to take it in hand more completely. In the back country, where no regular ranges exist, there should be no difficulty in improvising short ranges and targets where, with proper precautions, the men can fire their course. Very successful rifle meetings have been held by the Dominion Rifle Association and at the headquarters of districts. The question of the establishment of a small School of Musketry has engaged my attention, but I do not think that, till our expenditure becomes normal, the expense of starting it, under our present elementary conditions of training, would be justified. 24. "Rifle Clubs. Circular Memo. No. 12/1912, issued in March (Appendix E), makes provision for the formation of Rifle Clubs and for utilizing existing Rifle Clubs to absorb the 35 per cent, mentioned in paragraph 22, who are not physically fit for the Territorial Force, and also provides for the organization, control, &c, of such clubs. Those posted to Rifle Clubs are required to attend a minimum number of eighteen afternoon or evening drills at convenient drill centres, and to fire a prescribed course of musketry, entailing at least six attendances at a rifle-range. The instruction will be undertaken by permanent officers and N.C.O.s, and it should be borne in mind that very shortly all young men posted to Rifle Clubs will have undergone training between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years in the Senior Cadets. The utilizing of Rifle Clubs for the above purpose is to avoid a TTiultiplication of divisions of the Forces, and will place the New Zealand Military Forces in two categories for training and defence : (a) Ist line —Territorial Force and Reserve; (b) 2nd line —Rifle Clubs and the training sections affiliated to Rifle Clubs. It will be seen that the Rifle Clubs exercise a very important function in the defence scheme, and I am glad to be able to report that representatives of existing members of Rifle Clubs have promised their cordial support and co-operation in enabling us to make the training universal by means of their organization.

District. Territorials. Senior Cadets. Totals. Auckland .. Canterbury Otago Wellington 7,665 6,649 6,084 8,202 9,018 7,613 6,451 10,115 16,683 14,262 12,535 18,317 Totals 28,600 28,600 33,197 61,797