The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2106, 14 June 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 1907.

MR. HALDANE’S ARMY REFORM “What am I lit for? I know only one thing that 1 am lit for, and that is, to go for a soldier.” These words which Dickens, writing fifty years ago, put into Pip’s mouth, express, to-day the slender regard in which the army, as a profession, is hold by very many, both within and without its ranks. This attitude of indifference, of regarding the military calling not as serious work but as a sort of pastime, will be one of the greatest stumbling blocks in Mr Haldane s path towards army reform. Indifference, as the churches are ever complaining, is a dead weight which no efforts can move. A few years ago the war in South Africa revealed the deplorable inefficiency of many of tlic British officers, but the lessons so dearly paid for at the time have beon forgotten. - The repeated warnings given by Lord Roberts and his appeals to tho patriotism of his countrymen fell upon deaf ears. Tlio reform of the army is, as a writer in a recent number of the Nineteenth Century points out, entrusted not to a military expert, hut “to a middleaged lawyer of philosophical bent who wastes at the AVar Office gifts meant for the AVoolsack—~a- thing that no military nation would dream of doing. What would have been Mr Haldane’s feelings if. Lord Roborts instead of Lord Loreburn had been appointed Lord Chancellor? Hie analogy is not perhaps quite a fair one, but it will suffice to emphasise tho fact that an element of weakness exists in the quarter where the strength of expert knowledgo should be found. This dofect, this lack of efficiency, is the real obstacle to reform. The sons of the aristocracy and landed gentry “spend a few years in the army”—as they:put it o%until they succeed to estates or marry rich wives, and so shut out men who would make the military career theix* sei*ious business in life. Any attempted reform of the army which is effected by increasing the auxiliary forces or even by increasing instead or reducing the regular army can he only partial in its nature. Like every other reform the change must bo from within.

The great need of the army, as the South African war proved, is for pfficors who are thoroughly up-to-date and thoroughly efficient, and if these can be obtained the first step will have been taken towards solving the problem. Some means must be devised to bring about on the part of the officers as a body a change in the way in which they regard their calling. Increased efficiency will then naturally follow, being the outward and visible sign of an inward and spirtiual grace.

Apart, however, from this aspect of the matter, Mr. Haldane’s reduction of the regulars and his proposal' to make up the deficiency with partially trained men is a more than doubtful measure of reform. He has appealed to the patriotism of the people to make his scheme a success, and if they respond Mr. Haldane will have his “National Army,” but, as Colonel the Earl of Errol points out, “no army can be national unless all the manhood of the nation is represented in its ranks, and even then its value can only be estimated by the amount of training it lias roceiv«4 and by its general organisation and fitness for war. It is equality as well as quality that is important. There is nothing national about the army proposed by Mr Haldane.' The partial training of. 300,000 men, in addition to our diminutive regular army, out of a population of over 40,000,000, can in no way be looked upon as representing*the strength of the nation. Moreover - , these 300,000 are to begin tlieir serious training only after-the outbreak - of war—an arrangement which must strike foreign, countries as peculiar, not to say grotesque. In Mr. Haldane’s words, this force will , during peace remain in a state of slumber: This hardly soeins a happy phrase. It suggests a possibility of its being surprised and crushed before it has time to awaken, or, worse still, that this state of somnolence may become chronic, • and' may some day degenerate. into sleeping sickness of a dangerous kind. A collection of partially trained units, insufficiently officered, without means of rapid'mobilisation, will never be fit to take the field against a country whose entire manhood has been through the iron discipline and training which characterises the systems practised by our neighbors. Let not the country deceive itself by meaningless phrases. If it is content to stake its existence on inadequately trained and partially disciplined troops, let it, at all events, refrain from grandiloquent references to its National Army, which will be a source of danger from the confidence it will inspire—a confidence resting on no firm basis whatever, and damped in the day of trial to disappoint its supporters and to bring disaster on those who have put their trust in the R*omises of its originators.” Measures more drastic than appeals tb the patriotism of the people, which is an ever-fluctuating factor, are necessary before success is itesjehed. The time is not very far distant when the duty of every ablebodied man to render military service if required will be clearly recognised, and some kind of compulsory training will produce a true “National Army.” So bold a solution of a difficult problem wiU, however, he delayed by the fact that it will cost money, and the statesman who attempts will probably be defeated by tbe politician who prefers a party victory to the, safety of his country. |

A mail for - Auckland per Maniari will close at 7.30 o’clock l his morning.

The Post Office advises that the Fao (Persian Gull) route for cableguuug to ISuropo niteiTiijitcd.

A sub-committee of the Golf . Club is making inquiries as to leasing site for now links.

At tho Rotunda on Road’s Quay to-morrow morning, commoncnig at 9.15 o’clock the band ot tho Salvation Army Biorama Company will rendoi a programme of music.

Tho Gisborno, Woolbrokers Association hold a sale Lo-day• - catalogues of wool and sheepskin, are noted. Buyers are said to bo nvinerous and a good sale is expected.

Mr. Lauronson, member for Lyttelton, who has boon on a Land Bin campaign, has boon invited _by local Liberals to deliver an address at Gisborno.

Tlio following alteration bas been made on tho telephone exchange list:—294, Sanitary Depot, removed to Sanitary Inspector (Mi. Little), Waikanao.

At a sitting ot tho Magistrate s Court yesterday bolero Messrs. J. Townlev and J. Somervell one e vil case was adjourned lor six months and one was struck out. Tho Organising Secretary of tlio Political Reform League will •i meeting in the Masonic Sample Rooms at 2.30 o’clock on Saturday afternoon. It is stated that a number of houso--1 itldors are short ot .watei, this bon somewhat unusual tor this time oi I vear Evidently the housewives hate not spared the' water when they had plenty. The special rate proposed under the Harbour Enabling Bill, passed by tho Board yesterday, is as h (not to exceed) -.—Gisborno Boiough Id in the £ ; Cook County id, Warn pu County id. Mr Segedin, one of the proprietors of the. Victoria Billiard Saloon, is presenting a gold medal to the winner'of an amateur hiniard chanipionship to he held at a later date at the Victoria saloon. Entries are still open. All play off scratch. Included in a recent bill of fading for Gisborno were three nowly-fimsb-c:l. American vehicles, .comprising buck hoard waggon, sulky and hooded tnip Thev were imported by a ceitain affluent gentleman in the country, who evidently does not favor the colonial article.

The “comp.” got in one of his furnyisms yesterday morning. Local bodies’ committee” should have been referred to in tlic local re Mr. Rees scheme, whereas the comp, translated it as “local ladies’ committee. -Ihe time for ladies to participate in municipal affairs has not quite arrived yet.

the Chairman of the Harbour Board mentioned at yesterday s meotiipr that some dredging is required in Hi” vicinity of the new bridge at Roebuck road. Tho channel is not straight and more depth is desirable

underneath the. structure J lie Board a creed to the loan of t.lio small-dredge lor the purpose, and the work will be attended to before any more piles are driven. ’

Tho programme of To Rangi I ai s vc cal and orchestral recital, which premises to he the musical event of the season, will appear in to-morrow s issue. Mrs. Howie, who is universally recognised as being New Zealand s contralto, is in excellent voice and lovers of cultured vocalisation cannot fail to appreciate the efforts of this artist who lias the distinction of having sung in company With the greatest singers in Europe before Royalty.

Despite tho wild statements made at a a recent meeting at Gisborne that the country to the south ot Avairoa vas infested with rabbits (says tlio Wairoa Guardian) it lias been found that the few traces observable some months, hack have almost entirely disappeared. Some of the owners of property in the southern part of the county are so incensed at tlic reckless -barge that their land is infested with rabbits, made by speakers at the Gisborne meeting, and which are totally unfounded, that they threaten to take civil action.

Mr. Hepburn pointed out at the Harbour Board meeting that a small verandah at No. 1 goods shod would be. much appreciated. At present things are very uncomfortable tor all concerned when passenger’s luggage is beiim handled in wet weather. I lie Chairman, to whom representations had been made, suggested that a sir-all verandah J'9 erected at the cornor of the shed. Mr. Hepburn said this would not suffice He moved that a verandah the full width or tne Hied be evicted, thus affording room fo • carts to back in.—Agreed to.

Mr. Ngata, M.H.R., whilst not disclosing the contents of the Native Land Commission’s report, states that it will traverse the whole subject, ot native land legislation. It is hoped to have the report ready in good time before Parliament meets. It was entirely owing to the unfortunate Illness of the President, Sir Robert Stout, that the Commission did not put in a fortnight completing investigations between Gisbcrne and the East Cape. This district will not nccossnrilv he left out of any reeom-' inundations made to Pailiamenfr, for iuuch/of the data collected is of a general character, applying equally well to this coast.

Speaking at Dunedin recently, the Hon. J. A. Millar said he wished to make the position quite clear with regard to the Saturday half-holiday controversy. What had happened was this: He had had to admihister tlie law fully in the case of certain men who had gone out on strike. Then he had been advised -by a certain section of the employers in Wellington to set aside a recommendation of the Conciliation Board, but declined to do so. He was then quietly informed, that while he was desirous of enforcing the law against them it was being winked at in the country towns in respect of the Saturday half-holiday. He at once instructed the inspectors to immediately notify that the law must bo observed. It wais his duty to do so, and ho would always endeavor to see the law carried out as closely as possible. To allow any Act to be hung up would be dangerous and unconstitutional. The law as it stood must be administered, and he intended to do so. Under the Shops and Offices Act he intended to introduce legislation to doal- wit Chiuese laundry partnerships which evaded the Act, and stops -would bo taken to sco that every employee was an employee in sense and in fact. If Chinamen were to trade in this coun•’•v lie w-vild on? that, it was on equal terms with Europeans.