FARMERS & DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 5

FARMERS & DEFENCE.

•VIEWS ON HE SCHEME. 1 ADDRESS BY COL. HEARD. . • ( Defence matters were under review at I the conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union yesterday, in tho following . remit from Southland, moved by Mr. 0. M'Queen:—"That this conference expresses its approval of tho territorial system, as in its opinion the best way to maintain peace is to be prepared to do-, i fend the Empire." Colonel Heard, Acting-Commandant, addressed the conference in the afternoon. "Of course, I need not emphasise the absolute truth embodied in the remit," ho said. Proceeding, Colonel Heard dwelt on the importance of training. He could not put too strongly the need of giving every young man the opportunity to be trained. He hoped the farmers would insist that they should be sufficiently trained and equipped. The military authorities were there to do the work to the best of their abilities, and it only remained that the country should be behind them. There were many difficulties, both as regarded the young men and the employers. They could Hot please everyone, but camps were held as late in the. season as possible after the harvest. They hoped also to have weekend camps to do away- with evening drills. This .would provide for better training and greater etriciency. ■ They were only feeling their way, went on Colonel Heard, for at the beginningof all schemes there were great difficulties. •- - • Replying to a question as to whether week-end camps would take place over Sundays, the speaker said he could not say. Of course, no one would be forced to drill on Sundays. There would bo chaplains present, and where there were churches arrangements would be made to have the young men attend. Speaking to th<* remit, Mr. M Queen said they recognised that tho ' idea of being "taught to shoot" was not enough. Something in the nature of training was absolutely necessary. , ■ Mr. M'Queen dwelt on the fact that difficulty would be experienced in letting young men away from the farms to attend camps, especially at harvest time. There was such a disparity in climate in New Zealand that one time would not suit all places. He suggested that there should be permanent camps in both islands, where young men could go to get their training at any time: Mr. J. Talbot thought that camps after harvest suited best, but there were many who did not think this was so. The Defence Department had promised to help the farmers as much as possible, and he thought they should let it go.at that. Mr. E. Campbell thought the scheme was costing too much money. They had a statement presented by the Minister showing that last year it cost the Consolidated Fund ,£401,810 for administration of the Act. This year was going to cost ,£505,000. He was a strong believer in the upkeep of tho Navy, and/to the conference belonged the first suggestion of increasing the Naval contribution from .£40,000 to XIOO.OOO per year. He was still in favour of the Navy as the first lino of defence, but when he knew of the hardships of the settlers, and the present state of the country's finances, he thought they could not afford to spend more than a half a million a year. Mr. C. H. Ensor thought they should spend more money in bringing more people to defend the country. Major Lusk: If you bring more people here who are not .'trained, they can't defend the country.-' Proceeding, Major Lusk said he did not think they should emphasise, the hardship of the back settlers when speaking of defence matters. . He was a pioneer of sixty years' standing, _ and h,ad undergone as much hardship as any man in New Zealand, but he was prepared to do all lie could to support the Act. Mr.; M'Queen relerred to "Yellow Peril." They must, he said, be prepared to defend the country whatever tho expense. :It the"'Chinese and Japanese knew they were properly trained they would think twice before coming to attack New Zealand and Australia. Tho Navy could not always be here, and the people should be able to defend the country. till assistance arrived. , Air. G. Gardner asked was the cost of the scheme likely to increase? Replying to questions, Colonel Heard said the Junior Cadets were a semi-mili-tavy body, but wore not under the authority of the military authorities. Camps were held towards the latter end of May, because in all countries the camps were held at the end of the season's training. This also came at the end of the harvest season. Insufficientlytrained troops could not stand against trained men. War to-day could not last long. The cost was too great, and there would be no question of starting training after war commenced." Regarding permanent camps, Colonel Heard thought they were impossible, for two reasons. One was expense, and the ■other the fact that men coming in and • out all the year round would not lead to good training. There would be no combination amongst tho men if trouble arose. Mr. S. Chambers asked what the cost would be to have all the ■ training bunched into one period of about months? Colonel Heard did not think this was altogether practicable. The quality of the training would not be so good, and the men would have to come up each year until they went into the reserve. , . Colonel Heard also replied to criticism as to tho expense of the scheme, "hey i did not anticipate that running expenses would ever be over, say, .£450,000 a year. [ The initial cost was great, and this had to .be considered. Mr. Chambers questioned Colonel Heard regarding the commissariat arrangements at camps. At the last camp he underj stood the arrangements were not altogether satisfactory. ■ Colonel Heard: The unseemly strug- [ gling for food complained of was due to a want of organisation in the regiment itself. In future instructions will be is- . sued that all units see that tho thing is , properly carried out. , The Southland remit was carried. f The following remit from Taranaki was , lost: "That tho Minister for Defence He j asked to favourably consider the matter j of refunding tho cost of stabling tho j horses of Territorials and cadets who I have to come from a distance of two . miles or ovci' on horseback to parade." On the motion of Mr. J. G. Wilson, i Colonel Heard was accorded a hearty vote , of thanks.