Enclosure 3.
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bers will remember that I pointed out on the last occasion that it was desirable, be done in the way of improved organisa- while I fully admit that a good deal can at least so it seemed to me, that service tion of the forces, I would venture to in the Hongkong Defence Corps should suggest that we ought to be very careful be deemed to be continuous service, as 11 in this matter to keep before ourselves in the Volunteers or Volunteer Reserves, what I submit is a wise ideal, and that for the purpose of long service medals. is, that after all we are legislating for I understand that the hon. and learned persons whose ordinary avocations and Attorney-General has differed with me on duty in life is to their business, or to that point, inasmuch as the granting of their employers, as the case might be, and medala is an act of Royal favour. But I who are far more useful as civilians earn. would point out that it is not like the ing what the Prime Minister would call conferring of a knighthood ur the con- ferring of decorations. There are cer-
"silver bullets," to be contributed to the tain regulations passed at Home with employed on garrison or guard duty. I war loans, than they would be in being regard to the conferring of long service notice that your Excellency on page 55 medals for a certain period of service in of Hansard reports for the year, on the the Volunteers or auxiliary forces. first reading of this Bill, on August 2nd Therefore, Sir, it appears to me, with all made use of the following words: "In due deference to the learned Attorney- the correspondence with the Secretary of General, that the proper way of dealing State which preceded the appointment with this matter is for some clause to be of the Commission, I recommended, after inserted, some sub-clause inserted in consultation with His Excellency the Clause 10. to state that the service shall General Officer Commanding, under date be deemed to we continuous in the way of the 22nd January, 1917, that compul- suggest for the purpose of the long sory service for local defence should be service medals. While I am dealing with imposed, that a wider use of the local the question of medais I would like to say force should be made, and that a further that I bave just received a communica- reduction in the regular garrison should tion with reference to the counting of the follow to a sing at which every member service of ex-army or navy men why are of the existing Volunteer Force must be serving in the Volunteers or auxiliary considered indispensable for the defence forces, or in the Defence Corps of this of the Colony." Now, Sir, speaking with Colony, for the long service medals. I the utmost respect, I must confess that I frankly admit, Sir, that this is a matter regard that as the wrong ideal to aim at. which cannot be put by way of an amend. As is well-known. the offers of this Colony ment to the present Bill, but I propose are working, most of them, with consider. in a day or two to send this recommenda- ably reduced staffs, and I would also tion to your Excellency through the point out that in many of these offices. the proper channel, the Colonial Secretary. employés, have been out here for many With regard to Clause 11 of the Bill, years, and the war does not appear to "Duration of Ordinance," I would sug any of us to be likely to come to an end gest, in order to bring the matter home and clinch it, that the word "
for some time yet. Therefore, I suggest, "be that in the fourth year of this war it is only inserted after the word "Force before the word
and certainly not the time for making wider * until." so that the use of the Incal forces in the sense men- clause shall read quite clearly and em phatically, as follows:-" This Ordinance possible for a further reduction of the tioned by your Excellency, of making it shall continue in force only until the garrison. I am quite convinced that in expiration of a period of six months from this reorganisation which is proposed, the conclusion of the present war." I that the present Volunteers and Reserves will now consider the question of the re- will co-operate loyally so far as they can, gulations which are attached to the Bill. Bon, members only received them this there are limits to human endurance, and but. Sir, it must be remembered that morning, and I notice that the new regulations
that it is practically physically impossible contain somewhat stringent forms with regard to per by night and to perform his civilian less for one and the same man to be soldiering SOUB of old Age than the former duties by day. If it were possible, Sír, regulations. With regard ta the general principle of these regulations, it, but my point is that it is absolutely no doubt they would like to accomplish
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question, perhaps other hon. members will address your Excellency. Now with re- gard to camps.. Certain persons in banks and other businesses would not be able to attend so many as eight days camp un end. 1 understand these amended re- gulations do contain some provision in some way allowing for that. At all events, if the question comes up in the future no doubt we shall have an opportunity of considering it. I hope that the muske- try will always be kept in the forefront of our training. That is the really im portant thing, that we should all be practised in musketry. Another thing is that we should certainly have sufficient drill to enable us to move about in reason, able order, and that we should keep cool so far as we can under the circumstances of the climate, in emergencies. I would say in conclusion that whilst I have ventured to advocate caution in the way of employ- ing Volunteers or Reserves too much on night duty. I know that they are ready and willing to do all they can, but I hope that the Government will not, because of that readiness and willinguess, work them too far. I think it is a mistake to treat civilians who have their day duties to perform, as substitutes as it were for officers and men of the regular forces. I do not think we can possibly expect civilians, with day duties to perform, to take the place of officers and men in th regular forces. I shall have certain amendments to propose in Committee.
impossible, however willing anybody might be. I know these Volunteers and Reserves are quitę willing, and have come forward splendidly, but they cannot per form the impossible. It seems to me that their main sphere and object in life is to accomplish, efficiently, their civilian duties, and to carry on the trade here, to produce silver bullets either for them. selves or for their employers if they are employed in offices or businesses. No doubt, Sir, in that way, they are doing their best in the interests of the Empire with regard to the successful prosecution of this great war. Of course, Sir, the civilians who are on military duty are in an entirely different position in that respect from the regular forces. If any body in the regular forces goes on duty by day he takes rest by night, and if he goes on duty at night he takes rest by day. He has not get to divide civil and military duty, and he has not got to combine the two. There is no doubt that the reorganisation should have a beneficial effect, but I think that this is a point which should be borne in mind, that it is impossible to burn the candle at both ends, that civilians who have to perform their civilian duties by day and their mili- fary duties by night are not capable of efficiently performing their ordinary civi- lian duties. With regard, Sir, to musketry practice, no doubt that is the primary essential, and the only criticism I have to make on that is not made only by myself but my many members of the Beserves. Sometimes it happens that a
Hos. MR. E. C. ANTON- I should like whole number of men have been called up-¦ to say a few words in support of the on to go through their musketry practice, second reading of the Bill. At a meeting and a great waste of time and patience of this Council some months ago His has resulted. So it is no good getting a Excellency the General Officer Command- whole crowd of men to indulge in ing made a remark to the effect that the musketry practice, for it is very unsatie-object of war is to ensure peace. But Í factory for them to have to wait for hours think there is au apter saying that to in the afternoon, waiting for their turn ensure peace we must be prepared for to come on at the ranges. I am quite sure
war. Great Britain has gone through a that a considerable saving of time could painful and terrible experience owing to be effected by having less men on the
her military unpreparedness and the range in one and the same afternoon. nation must see to it that in future we we have With regard to the question of drill, I are not be found napping as
been in the past. I saw stated in a must confess that I am not satisfied that letter to one of the newspapers here that so many drills are necessary. That seems the Bill. if passed, will impose upon the to be the view at all events in the Colony community of Hongkong a militarism I do not of Ceylon, for in that happy island if akin to German militariem. a man puts in 45 drills in the course of think it will do anything of the kind. German a year he receives a special badge as a (The Governor.-Hear, hear.) kind of order of merit, and I see that militarism is an aggressive militarism, under this Bill it is proposed to make 50 and it has been fostered entirely for the drilla compulsory. With regard to this purpose of conquest, whereas the object