DEFENCE LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 3

DEFENCE LEAGUE

PLATFORM ENDORSED BY. BUSINESS ■ MEN. Tho"aims and objects'of the National Defence League of Kew Zealand were fully .outlined by a deputation -which waited on a meeting of the Wellington Control Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. The spokesmen were Mr. J. P. Firth, Dominion vice-president of the league, and Mr. G. Mitchell, M.P., a member of the general council. Mr. Firth said that, put in the briefest form, the aim of the league was to secure .the country immunity from invasion. We were passing through a reactionary period—a time when there was a. danger of the imbject of defence being neglected. He quoted General Monaßh, of the Australian Army, to the effect that the essentials of efficient defence were: .(1) A eualiflcd staff; (2) adeouatc equipment; (3) a 'trained soldier. The general had stated that he had named them in what he considered was their order of importance. Mr. Mitchell followed, emphasising that through all ages Britonß had been %htine for the maintenance and the liberty of the 'Empire, Was there any justification to neglect defence, simply because we had just passed through a terrible •war? Mr. Mitchell w*nt on to ridicule tho proposals emanating from one school of thought in the country to confine military training to the schools. Concluding, he snid that no man had a light to jeopardise the security of the country and the Empire because he was not prepnrcd to servo and to train for military service. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speakers, ar.d a motion unanimour.lv curried expressing full sympathy with the aims of tho league' and undertaking to do all in its power.to forward its objects.