MILITARY TRAINING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 868, 14 July 1910, Page 4

MILITARY TRAINING.

FARMERS AND THE AGE LIMIT. The New Zealand Farmers' Union,which had previously declared itself in favour of compulsory military training, took a further step at its Dominion Conference last night. Mr. Stewart (Otago) moved: That this conference congratulate the Premier en his decision to follow Lord Kitchener's advice in defenco proposals, and raise the age limit of compulsory training to 25 years; and trusts Parliament will treat tho mattor from a strong national standpoint, and not mako it a matter of parry politics. Colonel D'Arcy Chaytor (Marlborough) referred to political iulluence as the only danger to the. success and popularity of compulsory training. Mr. Stewart opposed a suggestion to protest against the raising of the age limit. ''Is (he manhood of the country to sit on the hills and watch the boys go down to meet the enemy?" he asked. "Are the Germans or the Japanese going to consult our convenience before they decide whether to come or no? It's all very well to decide whether you will have Free-trade' or Protection, but the first thing is, "Are we. !■•» '■t- <-'><>■ country?" You must decide how much the country is worth to you, and it you can't afford to pay the amount, somebody else will. It would be necessary to train men until they were men, and then give enough training every year to keep them fit. Tho rapid changes in arms made a soldier's knowledge soon go out of date. The details of the training scheme should be left to tho Government. The men who called themselves tho backbone of the country should'givo the Government every assistance in such a matter. Mr. W. J. Birch (Marton), Major Lusk (To Kuiti), and Mr. E. Maxwell (Opunake) also supported tho extension of tho training ago to 25. Mr. Schmitt (Auckland) expressed ■ a hope that the training camps would not call men away from the farms in the busiest season. Mr. F. G. Horrell (Canterbury) deplored the mention of nations by name by Mr. Stewart. s The reference to "party politics" s in the motion was struck out, and it was then carried. A Nelson remit objecting to the raisiug of the age limit was allowed to lapse,