COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 71, 17 December 1907, Page 4

COLONIAL DEFENCE.

Tire scheme of Australian defence just outlined by Mr. Deakin seems, so far as can be judged from the cable messages received here, to be both comprehensive and sound. The naval portion of the scheme only affects us very indirectly, for the Dominion has no present intention of abandoning the subsidy system, or of supplementing it,, by local effort, unless H.M.S. Amqkura may be considered a supplement'. As regards the military portion of the new scheme, the cabled report points to Mr. Deakin having adopted the famous and now well-known Swiss system, and it seems to us that he. has chosen the system best adapted to Colonial requirements. If we ventured any criticism before the full reports reach us, it would be that he does not seem to have provided for the case of men who are now over the age limit but who voluntarily desire to learn how to defend their country. It having been decided that a more ample system of national defence is called for, the services of every able-bodied man willing to serve should, at the outset, be gladly accepted. It is impossible to read of this bold and statesmanlike scheme, without 'wondering what New Zealand will do in the matter. The needs of New Zealand are not less than the needs of Australia. Tjiey are greater, in fact, because, while we are equally defenceless, we, by reason of our smaller size, offer more inducements for a hostile attack. We yield to no one in our admiration of the high spirit of patriotism shown by our Volunteers, and of the efEorts made by them to perfect themselves in their .military duties. When we bear in mind the treatment meted out to them in the past by the Defence Department, it is surprising to find tliem still enthusiastically carrying out their selfimposed duties.

The objection to the voluntary system is that, although we have given it a prolonged and costly trial, it does not, and never will, provide the country with the number of men trained in the use of the rifle that the country must have for ils safety. Large sums of money are annually spent by the Defence Department, and no material increase in the numbers of the Volunteer Force results. Even with improved l methods in the Defence Department, no one with knowledge of the habits of the average young New Zealander of to-day will seriously contend that Volunteers would enlist in sufficient' numbers to place the country in a posi-. lion of pei;fect safety from foreign in- ! vasion. The voluntary system, good as it may be, has beeii found wanting in New Zealand, as it is now recognised to have been insufficient in Australia, aud as, to a lesser extent, it has been found at Home. We -do not propose to enter at the present moment into a detailed 1 examination of the Swiss system. Moreover, much has recently appeared about it in the Home and' Colonial Press, and is, probably, fresh in the minds of our readers. Suffice it to say that it would give to New Zealand a force of over 100,000 men, thoroughly drained in the use of a rifle; that the- cost would not greatly exceed what we now pay for less than a fifth of the number, and that disturbance to civil avocations is reduced to' a minimum', -and comes, foi; the most part, at a time of life'when it does not prejudicially aft'ect the civil prospects of the young soldier.