UNANIMOUS MEETING AT MIRAMAR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 526, 5 June 1909, Page 7

UNANIMOUS MEETING AT MIRAMAR.

Mr. :C. J. Crawford, Mayor of Miramar, took tne chair at the meeting held last nirfit at Worscr Bay in favour of universal jnilitary training. Mr. Crawford, in moving tno motion in favour of the training of our lads traversed the present position of the' British' Empire, pointing out that for the first time during the last 100 years of our history the supremacy of tho British Navy vwas, if our naval building programme was not considerably augmented, being seriously challenged and that if Great Britain did happen to lose control of tho North Sea for even a Bhort period, Germany had somo three million of trained troops, whilst Groat Britain only had all told some 400,000 troops with which to withstand an' invasion, and of these only 150,000 were in any nay adequately trained. Mr. Crawford explained the Swiss system, which, much modified, it was proposed 'to adopt in New Zealand, training, tho senior school boys and young men, and wont on to show how tho British nation had really existed for generations in great freedom aiid power not so much owing to their actual strength, but owing very largely to tho great prestige which had been gained long ago by their heroic struggle and final victory over Napoleon. He. asked tho audience to pass tho rosolutiono because it was for the good of their youths that they should be trained becauso universal training was absolutely necessary throughout tho British Emprie, because tfhoy had every hopo that it would bo capricd in every British country, and because it stood not only for the protection of their 'country, but for tho poaco of the world, ' Mr. Jtihn. Brodio, in. «w«id|>g tho m^

spoke as an old volunteer, and was keenly in favour of the proposal. Mr. Hector M'Leod also spoko strongly in favour of the motion on somewhat similar m? *° tn ° P rev ' ous speakers. The motion was carried unanimously.