FOR DEFENCE. VALUE OF THE NEW SYSTEM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 95, 24 April 1911, Page 3

FOR DEFENCE. VALUE OF THE NEW SYSTEM.

*2?32irCH BY HON. G. FOWLDS. etjtoneous impressions PiE:-ioved. • Csi rcrsGHArn — si-bciai. to tub post.} AUCKLAND, This Day. In a speech at Hamilton yesterday on the new defence scheme, the ActingMinister for Defence (Hon. G. Fowlds) said that New Zealand had taken up a movement that was unique, as far as Anglo-Celtic orgr- nisation was concerned, and, with the exception of Switzerland, in modern times at any rate, they had no instance of democracy establishing a system of universal military training and military service. The eyes of the world were watching the movement. He was no Jingokt or military enthusiast, but he thought it was d?sirable that every able-bodied man should be fitted for the defence of hir, country. They had enterad upon the scheme with greai expectation, but it wss going to cost a very large siun of money. However, ii" the revenue to meat the expenditure was equitably collected the people could afford to pay ilie sum required for the training of the young men. It was most desirabls that we should be in a, position to defend the country if required. Perhaps the first consideration was the physical development and mental training for these young democratic communities, and this was the minimum result they bad a right to expect from the movement. He felt sure it would result in the elevation of the national character, but It was essential that the whole conrm unity should take an interest, especially mothers and sisters, otherwise they could not expect good results. If the taxpayers realised that for the money expended they were getting a higher moral standard they would regard the money required as simply so much expended in the cause of education. No money was found more readiIv than the amount required for that purpose. He hoped the time would never come when oar' young people would be conToelled to" fight, but, if it did, they should bs piepared for the emergency. Continuing the Acting-Minister for Defence «faid that England and her dependencies did not realise what the .horror of invasion wSs in these southern lauds. We had raised the standard of a white Aratralia and white New Zealand, while within a short distance of our shores were hundreds of millions of Asiatics. There waa no use in taking up a pesition such as this unless the people of Australia and New Zealand were ready to >• give effect to it by force if necessary. A successful invasion was a terrible thing to contemplate, bat v,-© should be prepared for contingenciee by bringing about etalwaTt physical develop ment as the result of universal training. The matter should be looked upon, in a spirit of citizenship and not a spirit of militarism, if that were done New Zealanders of the future would be worthy of even greater admiration than. 'New Zealanders of the- past. He urged • the people of the Dominion to take up the scheme heartily from a physical, mental, and moral T)oint of view. COMMANDANT OF THE FORCES EXPLAINS. General Godley said he wished to remove some erroneous impressions which existed regarding the territorial movement; The report that the territorial movement was antagonistic to rifle clubs was a fallacy. The idea -was that rifle clube should form themselves, into a rifle I reserve for the military forces to carry out such musketr} as ie laid down by the military authorities. All that was .required was that rifle clubs should make themselves efficient from a military point of view. He thought the objection of employers and employees" to the general scheme could easily be got over by common-sense measures with reference to training, and that the scheme as a whole would not be as formidable as it looked on paper. He appealed to the public to support the movement, reminding them that he and his- staff were here at tie invitation of the Government lo carry out the wishes of the people as expressed by them, and he asked them to accord their generous support and thus assist the movement that they had inaugurated. (Applause.)