DEFENCE ACT.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 24 April 1912, Page 3

DEFENCE ACT.

A CORRESPONDENT'S OPINION.

7 ■»' "While I must corapliment you on •he get-up of your paper, and the iniJß^rest embodied m it for tlio local ami .^general reader, allow me to say that I entirely dissent irom your views on i the; Defence Act as expressed in your leader of 27th. March. I believe that Act to be a disgrace to the democracy of " vxod's Own Country " that permitted it to be enacted! If I had a boy, " a youth of tender years," I should much rather see him shot down by an invading German, Jap or Chinaman, than to sc-e him shoved into a uniform by his own countrymen, against his will and mine, just as" we force a horse into harness, or a bullock into a voice. Forced to forswear the exercise of his will, judgment, intelligence, conscience ; a hived homicide, even uf his own father or brother ; in industrial troubles at the bidding of some "thing" called a •' superior officer.'' Surely a man's or youth's honour is as worthy of defence as his country or his home! They won't have the thing in England, why here ? Because, in my opinion, '"Lord" Martinet Roberts sot the ear o. c Sir Baronet Ward —the title-huniing humbug. And then, the thought of 30,000 boys keeping back thirty millions of Chinamen k. as the Tanks say, " too funny for anything."