DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1905, 30 July 1888, Page 3

DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

Tn the House on July 6th Mr Bruce speaking on the subject of defence eaid he would never allow an opportunity to pass m that Houso without entering his protest against the wasteful expenditure which had taken place, and would take place, m connection with the defences of the colony. Last year when there was a war-Ecare, m our insular conservation we thought that m the event of warfare we wero immediately about to be plunged into it, and b?oomo a mark for the enemy's attack-; but he did not thintf: that any European despot had ever oast an eye on New Zealand. Wo were puffed up with our o-yn importance j but those who had travelled m Europe knew that New Zealand was there spoken of as a place somewhere among the Cannibal Islands, He hoped there would be no undue expense m the direction of further defence or supplying arms to Volunteers. Any nndue expenditure m that way would moan taking Bteps to insure against a risk that oould scarcely be said to exist. Having said so much iritb a view of obviating the wasteful expenditure of money on defense, he might say, as he had said before, that it would have been far better expended m eurolling a naval reserve among our own seamen, as was done m Great Britain ; and then, m the event of war, we should have formed a force on which we could rely. He coul4 not apsept as expert evidence the evidence of the hon or • able member for Waitotara and the honorable member for Wakaia merely because they had aeryed m Volunteer corps. That did n^t enable themtoposo as authorities m the House. He would prefer the evidence of a man who had smelt powder, such, for instance, as the honorable meirber for Sydenham. He would not take up further time, and would only say that, if it ever came to war, he and his honorable friend would be found amongst the front rank of those who were ready to defend the colony.

Mr Walker coqld not agree with, w',^t had fallen, from the last speaker. He was astonished tbat the honorable gentleman, coming from a fighting race, end bearing a name which meant a great deal to a Scotchman} did' not recognise more folly the duty of the State to Bee tbat its son a were ready to protect it if the necessity should arise. It was all very well when the honorable gentleman^ ancestor led half-naked Scotß to victory, bat m these times our sons required much greater preparation and eqoipment. That was all that the Yolaateers demanded. They were cheerfully under going discipline, and no doubt they i would be ready ia the hour of seed ; but the Hoube must not begrudge them whaf; was necessary to put them man efficient condition, He would ask the Defence Minister to consider not only economy, but also efficiency. With regard to the remark of the honorable member for Waitotara, which wafl apparently indorsed by the Defence Minister, as to the exceptional efficiency of the Wellington battalion—— Mr Fergus ; I never indorsed that remark at all. Mr Walker was glad tp hear the Minister of Defence say that. He presumed the honorable member for Waitotara made that' assertion from having onjj Been the | Wellington battalion, Ec could assure the honorable gentleman tbat, as far us a civilian could speak, the North and South Canterbury battalions were highly dls« ciplined, full of spirit, and ready to do anything their commanding officers required of them. With respect to the cheerfulness with which the Volunteers had aocepted the reduction m their capitatioD, it was only right to say that, whilst they had accepted the inevitable, it was only by exercising a considerable amount of self-sacrifice, particularly on the part of the officers, that they did so. He therefore trusted the Defence Minister would tt»ke into his serious consideration that, while economy was necessary, parsimony was sometimes a mistake;