FACTS V. FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1610, 29 November 1912, Page 6

FACTS V. FICTION.

COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING. LETTER TO THE "MANCHESTER "GUAItDIAN." (By Tolegrapli.—Press Association.) Pahiatua, November 28. The letter referred to in yesterday's cable messages was sent by tho Pahiatua Honorary Territorials' Association to tho Manchester "Guardian" and tho London "Daily News," refuting statements made by anti-militarists in thoss journals concerning the working of compulsory military training in Now Zealand. Brielly summarised, tho letter states:— "It has been brought to our notice that you, as champions of tho Peace Society, have published letters and articles reflecting upon tho defence system of this Dominion. We feel, in tho interests of tho people of New Zealand, that tho statements made should not go unchallenged. We realise that your columns aro open to all correspondents, as is tho duty of all good journals, but wo l'eet that statement's reflecting upon an absent people should be subject to some sort of censorship by you. As you have, apparently in ignoranoo of tho true facts, erred in this respect, we desire at this lato date to placo the exact facts so far as the defence system of J\ew Zealand is concerned before your readers." Tho lettor, after quoting Section 35 of tho Defence Act, I'JOl), and amending Act, It/10, and detailing the service required, goos on to say:— "This is not a very great hardship to placo upon tho youth of this Dominion, when it is remembered that they are only preparing themselves to defend the Dominion against aggression, and cannot be called upon to.take up arms outside its territorial limits. Wo desiro to point out lo yon that nothing in tho Defence Act shall require any person to bear arms, or perform or undergo military training or service, if the doctrines of his religion forbid him to do so, but ho must perform as an equivalent to such service and training such non-combatant duties as are proscribed by the Governor-in-Council—in other words, as Parliament shall decide. Too much stress cannot bo laid on these two points, which we hope in future you will not overlook. Now, sir, where is the outrageous tyranny that has been blazoned forth to the world as being imposed upon tho j'outh of this Dominion? Tho abovo service required of tlio youth of this Dominion to prepare themselves to be ablo to hold this Dominion for all timo for Now Zealanders as a quota of the British Empire is surely the least that could bs asked of them. Remember, too, that this is a sparsely-populated country, and tliat in order to defend- it wo must have a trained force ' of sufficient numbers, which can only bo got by universal training. Do you hold that we should be in such a state of unpreparedness us to become the prey of tho first aggressive nation that comes along? Can we lock our doors, and say we are safe? We can only hold New Zealand for the British raco so long as we are strong enough, and prepared enough to put up a light for it with our backs to our own walls. Realising that eternal vigilance is the price of peace, we are leaving no stone unturned to, thoroughly equip ourselves against possible aggression, and as every nation is estimated b£ its system of defence, so we in the Dominion of New Zealand are endeavouring to maintain and conserve the glorious traditions of the British Empire liy teaching our budding manhood; the principles of self-protection, so when danger threatens we shall be prepared to ct< our duty for our King, our country, and our homes. Now let us turn' to our 'squalid record.' It was officially calculated that there were 27,030 persons between the ages of 18 and 21 liable for registration, but what was the result? 28,000 actually registered. In other words, 1520 more than were actually liable registered for service. Some 28,600 Territorials, and 33,197 Senior Cadets registered.; 61,797 of tho youths of this Dominion sent in their names for registration for training 1 , under tho-Act: .Bow many defaulters' iiave gone to gaol? Only fifty misguided youths, who had no excuse other than that they were not going .to serve, 'took out' the fine imposed, and posed' as 'martyrs' with small satisfaction to themselves and less to the public generally. -What is the'percentage of those enrolled who have actually undergone training? 82.49 per cent., which, says the Commandant of the forces, must be considered satisfactory when it is taken into account that the population of this Dominion is a shifting one. Tho Parliament and press of this country may be takentas the reflex of the voice ol the people. Parliament the other day decided by 60 votes to 5 that tho defence system has come to stay—the voice of at least 90 per cent, of tho people of the Dominion. So far as tho press of New Zealand is concerned, there is not a single .newspaper which opposes tho Act. Information has been obtained first hand which goes to show that at the big training camps the lads who went in reluctantly were sorry when the training ended, and "are eagerly looking forward to their next period of training under canvas. You, Sir, may champion the cause of the Peace Society, and do all you can to hinder the universal training movement in tho Homeland, but we would ask you, to 'sea that your illustrations as regards tlio working "of compulsory training in this Dominion are truthful, and can be subSt The ß le«er is signed by W. Tosswill and J A: Walsh (president and secretary of the Pahiatua Honorary Territorials Association). - Copies of lhe ; letter were also sent to the "Daily Mail," "United Service Magazine, and the Liverpool Daily Post."