MILITARY TRAINING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 400, 30 September 1911, Page 5

MILITARY TRAINING.

To the Editor. Sir,—On the above subject I have seen many letters, but could any of the writers safely state that the New Zealand youth has any encouragement to stand up for his birth place, if he looks at the general state of affairs in the laws. Don't you think that blocks of land could well be opened up and put in such a way that any young man over the age of 20 year 3 (not younger) prepared to serve his country, could get from 50 to 75 acres of good land and larger amounts of poor land on the same terms as the improved farm settlers, instead of granting sections to tradespeople who come out from another country and have to bring their sons out here? Treat our colonial youth as he deserves, if he is good enough to be forced to defend his country. He is worth giving a small hold in it, and ought to combine together and demand such. Why should he defend a land for immigration purposes, and immigrants get a better chance than himself? Taking all into consideration it should be self first, and so take more interest in the culonial youth and leave the Londoner at Home until such times as every colonial youth of a reasonable age is properly seen to. If you expect him to feel interested in what may at a future date mean warfare, guarantee him a constant job like the imported youth, and what you have got against what you have now. Give them a chance. Lead, not drive. The country is led to believe many things are going to happen for their good now the election is near, but let us see the colonial youth better thought of than only compelling him to enroll for military training. Let him see he will derive some benefit from so doing, and you will have him looking with interest for enrollment, instead of trying to get away from it. Did you ever see any good done by a youth who is made to do things after 38 to 20 years of age? They have a mind of their own in many cases long before that, and know what chey could do if allowed to. In many cases they have to keep their father and mother. So long as a man has a son to be found that can support him our Government will see he does it, so give uur young men a chance in life to make a home for themselves, by giving them land. They should have the first right to what their forefathers have fought for.—l am, etc., A MOTHER.