1250 ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATION [PART V
agree upon federation. The immediate result of federation
was not simply the improvement of the forces in question,
but eventually greater efficiency was evolved, and under the
influence of a visit from Lord Kitchener in 1909 it was
determined to adopt, by an Act of 1910, No. 37, amending
an Act of 1909 (No. 15), a scheme which will provide com-
pulsory military training for youths between the ages of 12
and 25, exemption being allowed only on physical grounds,
though further exemptions are allowed from actual service.
There will also be a small permanent force and a large par-
tially trained militia force, while the Defence Act No. 20 of
1903 already embodied the principle of compulsory service by
the male population in time of war. The history of events
and the state of affairs in New Zealand is substantially the
same. An Act of 1909 (No. 28) was amended in 1910
{No. 21) to extend compulsory training up to 25 years of age.l
The same process of the withdrawal of the Imperial troops
was applied to the Dominion of Canada, but it was considered
necessary in the Imperial interest to maintain small garrisons
at Halifax and Esquimalt, half of the cost of the latter being
defrayed by Canada, in view of the importance of the naval
establishment at these ports, for the service of the Royal
Navy. These garrisons were finally withdrawn owing to the
patriotic offer of Canada during the Boer War, when they
undertook to maintain the garrisons at these places at their
own expense. The change in naval policy which followed
the Boer War rendered the maintenance of these ports of
much less importance to the Imperial Government, and
arrangements were finally made in 1910 with the Canadian
Government to transfer, by Order in Council, the Admiralty
property at these ports to the control of the Dominion
Government, on the understanding that the necessary
facilities for the docking and coaling of His Majesty's vessels
of war would be given. and that the naval dockvards would
* For these Acts see Parl. Pap., Cd. 5135 and 5582.
* The offer was made in 1902 and finally accepted in 1905; see Parl.
Pap., Cd. 2565, which gives a clear account of Canadian views as to the con-
stitutional position ;: see also Canadian Annual Review, 1905, pp. 459-65.
