MILITARY TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 8, 5 October 1920, Page 8

MILITARY TRAINING

1 ' FARMERS FAVOUR COMPULSION. At a meeting of the . Sounds branch of the New' Zealand Farmers' Union, Mr. A. W. Nisbet moved: "That this meeting wishes to record its disagreement with the remit passed at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on the subject of compulsory military training. Recognising that some system of compulsory military training for defensive purposes is a matter of vital importance to the Dominion, it is considered that such training cau only be carried out effectively and efficiently by the trained officers Of the New Zealand Staff Corps, assisted by the Territorial officers, and that to expect the already overloaded school teaohors to add military training to their ,other duties is absurd." Mr. Nisbet said that it was hard to understand just what the mover of the remit passed at the Dominion conference did really mean. That remit was: "That the principle of compulsory military training be affirmed under, the Education Department." On the face of it, the remit could or.ly mean one of tw.o things; either that military training be abolished altogether and only physical training carri*l out under tho Education Department, or that tha New Zealand Staff Corps he abolished nnd_ tho Education Department bo made entirely Tesponsiblo for tho military training of the youth of the nation Whichever meaning was to be taken from tlie remit, it was a pritif'ul production to go forth as tho studied opinion of the farmers of NewZealand'. The meeting, which included a fair sprinkling of returned men, carried the motion unanimously.