Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/481

 DEFENCE — PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY

359

Defence.

New Zealand is a party to the Naval Agreement between Great Britain and Australasia (see under Commonwealth of Australia).

New Zealand passed a Defence Act in 1909, amended 1910, which pro- vides for the gradual military training of every male New-Zealander from the age of 12 to the age of 25, after which he will serve in the Reserve up to the age of 30. There are no distinctions and no exceptions except for the physically unfit. From 12 to 14 the boy is a junior cadet, from 14 to 18 a senior cadet ; from 18 to 25 he becomes a soldier in the Territorial Force ; from 25 to 30 he belongs to the Reserve. Senior cadets do 50 drills and a musketry course each year. The soldier in the Territorial Force does 7 clear days' annual training and a musketry course, besides 30 drills and 6 whole- day parades, but there are modifications to meet the requirements of local conditions in certain directions.

The Territorial Force is about 29,000 strong, and is organised in field and coast-defence units with practically the same establishment for peace as for war. In each of the four military districts into which the Dominion is divided there is a brigade of infantry, a brigade of mounted rifles and a brigade of field artillery, as well as 9 companies of garrison artillery for coast defence and a field company of engineers, besides medical units and other departmental troops. An infantry brigade will include four battalions and a signal company ; a mounted brigade, three regiments of mounted rifles and a signal company ; and a brigade of artillery, two four- gun batteries. The force will be fully armed and equipped according to the most modern standard. It is estimated that the annual cost of the scheme when carried out completely will be 400, 000^. It will take several years before the scheme is in complete -working order.

Production and Industry.

I. Agriculture.

Twor.thirds of the surface of New Zealand is suitable for agriculture and grazing. About 17,000,000 acres are still under forest. The total area under crop (including 14,214,741 acres in sown grasses and 209,973 acres broken up) in 1911, was 16,154,218 acres, excluding 111,672 acres in gardens, orchards, and plantations. The area of Crown lands surveyed and open for selection on March 31, 1912, was 1,242,473 acres.

The largest freehold estates are held in the South Island. The extent of occupied holdings of or over one acre in 1911 was as follows : —

Number

Number

Sizes of Holdings

! Of

Acres

Sizes of Holdings

of

Acres

10 acres

Holdings

Holdings

Ito

18.075

81,397

5,001 to 10,000 acres

526

3,525,514

11 ,.

50 ,,

12,151

3.35,056

10,001 ,, 20,000 ,,

264

3,751,346

51 ,.

100 ,,

7,948

618,980

20,001,, 50,000 ,,

136

4,157,740

101 ,,

200 ,,

10,746

1,628,608

50,001 acres and over

90

8,128,742

201 ,,

320 ,,

7,083

1,818,087

321 ,,

640 ,,

8,466

3,872,809

^

641 ,, 1,001,,

1,000 ,, 5,000 ,,

1 3,611 4,780

2,931,721 9,388,126

Total. ..

73,876

40,238,126