COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1198, 5 August 1911, Page 13

COMPULSORY TRAINING.

Sir,—Mr. C. L. Godfray is quite "off his eggs" on tho subject ho is writing about. Ho will find "the. few poor specimens" (of whom I have determined to bo one) will turn out to be the grit and real savers of the Dominion's honour and integrity. Conscription, after the servile nations of the earth have done with it (to usa tho words of the late George Fisher), has come to New Zealand to give its last kick and die. I shall not deal here with" C.L.G.'s sophistries, but answer by quoting the words of a young stalwart at a recent meeting: "I am under 21, and was a volunteer all tho years I was able, but under coercion I am going to use all my strength against it. They will find the boys are not such fools after all." Tako the case of young Cornish. His fellows raised .£5 to keep him out of gaol. "No," he said, "I am not going to skulk behind a J!5 subscription; I am going to seo it through." "What are you going to do about it?" said _ tho constable to the father. "Give him the honour due," replied the litfter. Then the constable took him, and on Thursday he will havo seen it through. Now, what has C.L.G. to put up against that? Nothing. Only fear of a danger that threatens not; adults skulking behind minors; a breach of Magna Charta; and a prostitution of the principle of individual liberty which has built up England's greatness.—l am, etc,, HENKY BODLEY. July 31, 1911.