NATIONAL DEFENCE LEAGUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2158, 6 April 1908, Page 2

NATIONAL DEFENCE LEAGUE.

APPLICATION FOR RAILWAY CONCESSIONS.

MINISTER GIVES A POLITE REFUSAL.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April 5,

I)e]egatcsTepresenting tho National Defence League'aire to meet in Wellington this Easter. In reference to this, the Minister for Railways, the lion. W. Hall-Jones, received a deputation yesterday. Air. J. R. Firtli, president of the Wellington branch of the League, urged that- tho object of tho League •was to help the Government in the

matter of defence. Seeing the objoet l_oi the Easter gathering, it was thouwht tho Government ought to allow tAho delegates free passes on tho railways. Tho number of delegates woiiUd be about twenty. Tho steamshipXcompunies had granted considerable concessions. Tho Minister, in replying, said there- were two departments in the public service, the post and telegraph and tho railways, which should be looked upon as commercial undertakings. They never (or seldom) heard of anyone trying to get free postage or telegrams. If there was any country in tho world wlicro they (needed to pay attention to tho question of defence it was New Zealand, which was at such a great distance from tho heart of tho empire, and wlicro at any time they might bo thrown upon.their own resources, and have to rely upon their own people to hold the position until reinforcements arrived. Ho was entirely with them in the great and good work that they were doing, but as to the railways department, concessions were now granted to members of friendly societies and clergymen attending (heir annual conferences, and to do vhat the deputation asked would bean the framing and gazetting of a new regulation. The only alternilivo was to grant free passes wliiclblie assured thorn was a privilege that iio jealously guarded. In this case (the League was intimately associated with the Defence Department, and' his suggestion was that if any concession was granted it should come as a charge on the Department with which the deputation was associated. Personally he did not feel inclined to comply with their requests, but ho would, however, refer the matter to Cabinet.