THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1908. DEFENCE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 65, 17 January 1908, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 1908. DEFENCE.

Increased attention is being daily directed towards the question of defence, and it is gratifying to observe that the King Country is not lagging behind its older established neighbours in such an important matter. Some time ago a strong Rifle Club was formed at Ohura, and is now flourishing, and this week a troop of Mounted Rifles was established at Te Kuiti. Whatever opinions may be held upon the methods which should be adopted for the adequate defence of the country, there can be but one opinion as to the advisability of preparing to meet all contingencies. That the present volunteer system is a suitable one, or the best obtainable, may be broadly questioned, but it is the only one possible to us until a more advanced method is instituted, .and all our young and able-bodied men should receive every inducement to join the volunteer movement, and become efficient in whatever branch of the service to which their several dispositions lead them. Rifle shooting is, of course, an important feature, and to become a good shot should be the aim of every young New Zealander. Still, the shooting capability without the military training only goes a certain distance towards making the efficient soldier, and it is a widely known fact that in the thick of battle, a rifle in the hands of an untrained man, however good a shot he may be, is infinitely more dangerous to the man's comrades than to the enemy. However, it is needless to enlarge on the obvious fact that efficiency in the field only comes through a proper military training, which naturally embraces rifle shooting as an important branch of the process. The question of defence looms larger on the national horizon as the different phases of modern world politics are opened up, and the knowledge *hat the fiercer the war of commerce wages,.the, more necessary is it that -our.- commercial fleets and industries shouldbe backed by Strength °f a r m ? direction. Is daily becoming mope apparent. New Zealand is bnlya'small and insignificant portion of the Empire, and has hitherto relied solely upon the power of the Mother Country to throw a protecting arm round her in time of danger. That such confidence" was not misplaced we are perfectly justified in assuming, and it is easy of tyefief fbat New Zealand was probably outside %e zone of rfQSsjbJe hostilities. Jn any case we have Had protection without paying for it iii tftepag. fn-fecent years, however, the Ijgejjfif ha§ dinged considerably; and in the event of sasie>n cqinpljca: tions, we are very much withw ti»e zone of probable hostilities. More* over, our country is developing j its possibilities are becoming known to the outside world, and the gem of the pacific will no doubt be viewed with covetous eyes jby any powerful over-

crowded country seeking a fertile land for its surplus population. However, the most precious gem may be bought at too great a price, and a country with harbours mined-, and defended with the most modern appliances; with its people trained, to a man, in the art of warfare, and armed and equipped to the highest degree of efficiency, is bound to command the greatest respect of its enemies, and cause them to ponder deeply and count the cost before attempting to wage war on it. There can be no question that at present New Zealand is lacking in defence, and it is equally certain that the necessity for adopting a universal scheme is becoming urgent. The National League, which was established about two years ago, with the object of rousing the people to a sense of cur condition, and of pointing the way to a national scheme, has had very wide support, and will probably make itself felt in politics ere long. A powerful argument in support of the idea lies in the fact that our Commonwealth neighbours have adopted a very similar scheme to that of the National League, and henceforth every Australian of a ceriain age, capable of bearing arms, will undergo military training for a certain length of time. The other measures adopted by the Commonwealth may be accepted or questioned according to the belief of the individual, but the education of its manhood in the art of war, for defence purposes, is one of the first duties of a people who value the land of their birth, or adoption. The question may be narrowed to a very simple problem : Is our country worth living in ? If so, it is worth defending, and on the principle that " anything worth doing is worth doing well," we should make every endeavour to place its defence on the highest plane attainable.