The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, April 13, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1030, 13 April 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, April 13, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

It is refreshing to hear a woman and a mother Bpeak in support of our compulsory military training as Dr, Platts Mills did, when, as one of a deputation she urged the Minister tor Detence to see that the Act is carried out. Dr. Platts Mills said that women welcomed the Act that would cause their sous to be trained to defend their country, and were alarmed at the possibility of the system being defeated by Socialist agitation. She was glad that her own two sous would be ready to defend their country. This woman is only echoing the sentiments of thousands ol loyal mothers throughout the Dominion. We do not know what the future holds in store for the British Empire nor what lorces may be at work to bring about its disintegration, but, while our defences are on a sound basis and our young men are trained in such matters, the moral effect makes for peace. The Defence Minister is to be commended for his determination to see that the Act shall be properly enforced, despite the vapouriugs of revolutionary socialists and labour agitators.

Bv the way, we notice in a recent issue oi Eloyds Weekly, the following misleading article, which will be read with mingled feelings of surprise and amusement by New Zealanders. The article is headed ; “ Compulsory Training. Scheme to lit New Zealanders for defence said to have collapsed,” The article theu proceeds :

“la a statement issued on Wednesday the National Peace Council says it has during the last few days received letters from the National Peace and Anti-Militarist Council of New Zealand, which ‘show that the attempt to enforce compulsory military training in the Dominion under the Defence Act has met with the strongest opposition, and has for the time being practically broken down.’ “The Anti-Militarist Council,’ says the statement, ‘has succeeded in making the agitation against

the scheme so strong that the Government have not enforced it. Boys have ignored all notices to come to parade, and now the whole thing has been practically abandoned for the time being. It is understood that the Government are disposed to modify the scheme, but the military meu still say that with the new year it will be rigidly enforced. “The Prime Minister has promised that there will be no more prosecutions; the camps have been abandoned ; military instruction will not be given—but only physical instruction —to boys in the public schools, and at the same time he pleads for a fair trial of a year or two to be given to the scheme.”

We commend the following excerpt from the London Daily Mail to the consideration of any who may think that there is little or no. excuse for the periodical labour revolts which disturb the peace of the Old World : —‘‘During a Lambeth inquest yesterday on a three-months-old baby, the mother, Mrs Clara Palmer, Lollard street, Lambeth, said she was a machine ‘layer on,’ and earning 8s 6d a week, working from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Coroner (Mr Troutbeck) : Is that true ? —Yes ; is 3d a day. It is incredible. That is not 2d an hour. It was stated that the child appeared to have been very well cared for. The coroner said he had had no idea that such low wages were paid to womeu. It was dreadful to hear that a mother had to work such hours up to a short time before the child was born. Thejury returned a verdict of natural death.” If, instead of being scared by Germany’s national vitality and military and naval activity, the Brilish people were to turn their attention to adopting the social reforms effected in that country, no mother would be permitted to work to her physical detriment whilst bearing children. It makes one feel ashamed of socalled civilisation to read of such brutal callousness as that which is exposed in the Daily Mail’s paragraph.