IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2595, 1 September 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

THE AUSTRALIAN SQUADRON. ; , ' ' rTO BE THOROUGHLY AUSTRALIAN —— United Prehb Association—Copyuighi Melbourne; Aug., 31. ■ Mr Deakiri in reply to criticism, de■ares that the new squadron wilt he Australian in 'character. (. _ MR ALLEN INTERVIEWED. ITer.Press Association.! DUNEDIN, August 31. Mr James Allen, M.P., interviewed "by a “Star” 'reporter regarding the outcome of the Defence Conference, said: “What Mr Massey says is absolutely accurate so far as I can see. Mr Massey hopes that national training and harbor defence have not been overlooked. He does not say they have been overlooked. It seems to mo that Mr Fowlds has gone out of his "way to make' ah unnecessary, unjustifiable attack on Mr Massey. There is no need for Mr Massey to parade his patriotism. It is too well known, too sincere, to be mentioned in the same' breath with the patriotism of anyone on the other side. The question is not whether a Dreadnought or an Indomitable is the better fighting machine. The real question is much deeper so far, as. ©nr offer is concerned. Mr Fowlds knows perfectly well that Mr. Massey does not want to hand over to outsiders the control of the national training of the youths:.of New Zealand, and he is - not going to deceive people by any such suggestion. Similarly unworthy of Mr Fowlds is his suggestion that Mr Massey is developing German sympathies. If a Minister of the Crown hks no better work to do he had better take a trip somewhere. Mr Massey’s lieutenants are perfectly satisfied to wait till they know what the. decisions of the Conference are. Mr Massey was only speaking oil the rough outline. Nothing he had said shows _ any hostility to the Oonlexenoe decision. All he says is that he is somewhat disappointed in the. meantime. Maybe when we get the full programme others will be disappointed too.”

A HOME DEFENCE ARMY. ■ A memorandum issued by the National Service League 'furnishes some remarkable figures concerning the National Home Defence Army —as it might be. The number of lads reaching the age of eighteen each year in the United Kingdom, is put down as 416,00, and, according to the scheme, they are divided up as follows: — Medical rejections .200,000 Navy and marine recruits 8,000 Army recruits 35,000 Emigrants . ... ••• Mercantile marine ... 15,000 Yearly total for training 148,000 With this number each year, leaving 5 per cent for annual wastage, the estimated numbers would be: Recruits --- **‘ ’nnn First year men ... 142,000 Second year men ••• H2’222 Third year men ... • 128,000 National Army total ... 405,000 The cost of the scheme, which would compel every young man betwen eighteen and twenty-one to serve four or six months’ training, with the usual Territorial' drills’ ana musketry to follow, would, it is estimated by the National Service League, only amount to £3,806,372 more than the present cost of the Territorial Army. $