The Hastings Standard Published Daily. THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1897. FERTILE FACTS.

Hastings Standard, Issue 274, 18 March 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily.

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 1897. FERTILE FACTS.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance. And the good that we can do.

While there is a crazy feeling amongst a lot of seemingly intelligent people to spend the money of the tax payers in so-called military and alleged loyal exhibitions in connection with the Queen's record reign it will not be out of place to ask the question whether this colony is in a state of defence ? Whether there is the smallest chance of our being able to resist the attack of a cruiser of a powerful and relentless foe'? Those who display such zeal for the wanton expenditure of public money should look into this matter, and discover if it is not possible to spend any spare cash we may possess in defence works and war material. An anomymous writer who claims to be a New Zcalander, has given a London paper a seemingly very accurate description of what is certain to happen to New Zealand should Great Britain become involved in war with any of the great maritime nations. And the article appears to have arrested the attention of the Home authorities, at any rate the New Zealanders in London are taking steps to bring the matter under the notice of the Imperial Government. The writer says : " It is time thi' British public knew that New Zealand is practically an undefended colony ; that if a war broke out between (ireat Britain and any maritime Power this colony would fail an easy prey to the first of the enemy's cruisers that attempted its capture. As a fertile and richly-endowed land, it would be a loss to the British Crown ; as the security in which no less than £70,000,000 of British capital arc invented, and as a purchaser of British goods to the value of £*1,000,000 yearly, it would be a loss to British trade. More important than all, as the finest coaling station in the Paeitie, it would be a I<>" to the British Navy, and an important gum to ->m»- >itln r l'ower's n.ivy. As things -rand sou ari; liable to lose th- 1 c-ilonj at any moment, and if you arc in ••arm -t atn*u retain in g it, you \\ il la to take immediate >n[» w 1 defence* Sir William tKrvoi. . Ua<4

fortifications are already obsolete, and the guns in them are fired but once a year, so that no one pretends to rely upon them as a defence."

This writer no doubt feels that he has given the British public some solid facts to ruminate, but he quite overlooks the possibilities of New Zealand. He forgets that we can at a moment's notice raise military contingents for picnic purposes men warranted to " put away " anything from a succulent oyster to % whole plum duff. Then have we not specially manufactured Colonial ammunition guaranteed to miss a mountain at a hundred yards. : Does this scare raising scribbler know that an additional big gun has been added to the shore defence of the wealthiest city in the colony—Wellington—a big gun too, which if it does not burst when fired, is looked upon as safe to do more damage to Wellington than to any hostile cruiser that may find its way into Port Nicholson. Then, again, is it fair to overlook the fact that we have a large stock of " cronk " snider rifles and rusty weapons known as " Brown Bess." We hs.ve too a choice lot of Martini-Henri rifles, enough for show purposes, and ragged Volunteers, who, if given the opportunity, would do and dare anything. What enemy would dare raid a country so lavish in defence works and defensive material ? The thing is preposterous. New Zealand does not require any defending, all that we want is a series of record reigns, so that we may give our warriors and politicians the opportunity of enjoying themselves at the public expense. We are loyal to our finger tips so long as the taxpayer is willing to pay for the exhibition of the " ties that bind." It is impossible to be serious on this subject, for during recent years we have made a burlesque of our Defence Department. As a - machine for spending public money wantonly and uselessly it- would be hard to find anything to equal the Defence Department of New Zealand, and notwithstanding that it has been in existence for half a century, this unfortunate colony is in a hopelessly defenceless state. We shall realise how very weak we are when war is declared, and then we shall witness a rare spectacle, for the craziness of the officials of the Defence Department will then be multiplied a hundred fold. It is easy enough to stigmatise the writer of the scareraising article as a blood-curdling jingo, but those who give his statements sober consideration cannot fail to realise that they are fertile in facts, that they reflect the true state of New Zealand's condition. And New Zealand leads the way.