The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1912. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 30, 28 September 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1912. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

The veteran Lord Roberts continues to, devote himself to an active propaganda of a sound system of national defence, and his many warnings to the Empire, though they seem largely to have fallen on unheeding ears, will possibly some day be remembered. The national need of personal service and the necessity for every able-bodied man being trained to take his place in defence of his country should such need arise, are the great themes on which he plays. That such an emergency may .arise is* well within the realms of possibility many of the greatest statesmen realise, and despite the unpatriotism of some who speak and write publicly, as a. whole—both in Britain and in these southern Dominions—the people approve the steps taken for defence. In New Zealand the new Act, as it becomes better known, is found to work easily and well: that some sacrifice is entailed must necessarily follow, but the benefits derived quite outweigh all other considerations. Young men who went into their first camp with hafting feet and doubting hearts have found their fears unfounded and imaginary, and now look forward to the next call for their ser-

vice. If there are those in this district who do not possess this spirit, it may be well for them to remember that at the end of each year's train-

ing in the general training section, the Act provides that each person shall be classified in the manner and by the person prescribed, either as "efficient" or "non-efficient," and those who are classified as non-efficient will be liable to bo trained for -an additional year for each year in which they are nonefficient, or to special extra training in the year succeeding that in which they were non-efficient. This very plain provision onglit to make wouldbe (shirkers—if there are any—think a good deal. ,