UNITED CANDIDATE'S VIEWS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 137, 6 December 1929, Page 11

UNITED CANDIDATE'S VIEWS

The question of defence was dealt with' by Mr. J. Kerr (United) at his meeting at Waiwetu. The United candidate declared that the cost of the Territorial camps and of Territorial training was extremely heavy, and ho believed that not only a better but a cheaper result could bo secured by perfecting tho cadet system and making all lads train, not only militarily but especially physically, from 15 up to IS years of age. After three years of such cadet training, he held, tho youth ot the country would be valuable material for the defence of their country and their military training could easily be completed later on if necessity arose The abolition of tho Territorial camps and the Territorial training would he estimated, save the Dominion £200 000 a year. With tho proposed cadet system and the proper encouragement of aircraft and the training of pilots he believed that a big step would bo made in the direction of making the tlefenee system of the country more effectiveand at tho same time the enormous cost of preparing for war while everybody was talking about peace would bo considerably reduced. The Dominion's expenditure on naval defence he stated, must continue as at present, as he believed that it had been contracted for with the British Government at the Imperial Conference of 1926- and he would be tho last to advocate tho breaking of any contract.