NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2230, 24 October 1908, Page 4

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

In his address at the theatre last night Mr. Lissunt Clayton made it very clear that progressiveness is not confined to the Government side of politics, and in regard to the defence question he showed a much clcarei conception of the national needs than has the Premier up to the present time. The Opposition candidate for the Gisborne seat states that he is in favor of making it compulsory for all males under 21 years of age to undergo a certain period of military training, so that if the need come they would be able to handle a rifle and take their part in the defence of the country. Sir Joseph Yard "would shudder at this and call it conscription, which it is not. There is indeed a vast difference between conn pulsory training, as adopted ill Switzerland, and the conscription which forms the basis of flic German military system. Sir Joseph should know this, and probably does, but for his own reasons he attempts to throw dust in the eyes of the public by using a term which is in no sense applicable, and which is made effective only because it indicates a condition of affairs which is viewed with disfavor both in England and in Australasia. When defence matters are discussed, he talks of tho British navy and our volunteers. It is notorious that volunteering in the Dominion is in a particularly unsatisfactory position at the present time, and even were it brought to a much higher standard we could'- never rely upon it as an effective means of defence unless strongly supported by some other force. It is just as well for New Zealanders to face at once the inevitable position that their isolation and paucity of population places them in. There never has been a country more worthy of defence than this highly favored territory we have named New Zealand ; there never lias been a people more fortunate in tlie promise of their national destiny; and. it- may be added, there never has been a people who- tempted fortune more recklessly than we are doing in the matter of self-preserva-tion, The British navy is our first line of defence, but to rely upon the Mother Country solely, and for all time, would be to- act like madmen, and, incidentally, to proclaim ourselves entirely unworthy of our country A matter of 18,000 or 19,000 volunteers is no answer to the question. Even were every one capable and well equipped, which they are not, the position would be still .unsatisfactory. Nothing will meet tho requirements of Now Zealand in this matter but a system wjhereby every able-bodied person in the Dominion shall be made efficient to take a hand in the defence of .liis country should the need ever arise, and this can only he attained by compulsory training. This does not mean taking a man from the ordinary occupations of life and making him follow the calling of a soldier for three or four years, as is done in Germany, but it means the devotion of a certain number of days in each year for a given period to military training, namely, drill and rifle-sliooting, so that, should tho waralarm sound, he 'would take up his rifle and enter upon the defence of liis homo equipped not only with dauntless courage and dogged determination that are New Zealand characteristics, but with a knowledge of how to take his place as a unit in a collective body, and able to use his weapon to some purpose. Mr. Clay..ton referred last night to the necessity for training those under 21 years of ago, but really we fail to see why the defence of tho country should bo confined practically to youths. It is true that every year would increase the number of those who, having undergone training whilst- under the age mentioned, would, upon passing 21 years, be entitled to rank as reservists. However, oven with tho limitation .suggested, our defences would bo very materially advanced Aver© Mr. Clayton’s ideas given effect to,, and it is to be hoped that at the

coming election sufficient members will be returned in. sympathy with these views to force the hand of the Government in what is- a matter of** most vital import.