"THE SPORT OF WAR."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 947, 14 October 1910, Page 4

"THE SPORT OF WAR."

AN ELOQUENT MAORI IEGISLATbE, Though the Hon.;Wi Pere, H.L.C.,many degrees removed from a stripling, the blood of thp .Maori" warrior- still throbs in his veins, and he is. still found, as one of Gilbert's'opera heroes'phrases it; "longing for, the rattle, of the complicated battle." Moreover, Mr. Pere has "something approaching. cpntempt for the pusillanimous war preparations: of hjs pakeha brethren; He would like to .see all the: able-bodied people in'., the.country trained for the fray—women- as well as men,: with no arbitrary limit of age. "Are. you going to: confine -the sport- of war to these he asked his: fellow ■members of the Legislative Council yesterday, when discussing the Defence Amendment Bill, the , "few'? : being'the young, men from 18 to 25 years, of age. ,f No," he continued,', "let us give'everyone a' chance. ; You' can have. all those, from 18 to 25, but let me train'those not provided for in the Defence Bill, and I'll back my lot against yours." Mr. Pere added that his-'most ardent wish was that New Zealand, should " have' to face a foe whilst he was still alive, and able to shoulder the rifle.; ! 'I \yant,". lie concluded, "to show yon that I am as good in practice as in: theory," . .-,.-.-