“TARANAKI CENTRAL PRESS.” THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1936. TRAINING FOR DEFENCE.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 311, 17 December 1936, Page 4

“TARANAKI CENTRAL PRESS.” THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1936. TRAINING FOR DEFENCE.

‘‘British young men of to-day love their country, and are prepared to defend it, but many of them do not realise how urgent is the necessity for training," said Mr. Duff Cooper, Secretary of State for War, in an address to Suffolk artillerymen. Speaking of the urgent necessity for training, Mr. Duff Cooper said the young men of to-day salved their consciences by thinking, in all sincerity, that if emergency came they wou Id be ready as their fathers were to give their lives for their country. "But it is not their lives we want," he said. "It is their skill, training, and knowledge; and those are.the things they can acquire in these days of peace. We are living in times when fearful dangers hang over every civilised community of the world, and when, therefore, the question of self-defence is the duty of every member of the community." Britain andthe Empire stood for peace and meant to pursue it, Mr. Duff Cooper continued. Every man who joined the Army, regular or territorial, was contributing his mite toward bringing conviction into the minds of those who might be prepared for war that Great Britain was strong, that her will must prevail, and that disturbers of the peace, if any existed, would be punished. Ihe stronger Great Britain was, the greater the hope for peace. Infantile Paralysis. ,

The outbreak of infantile paralysis in Otago is rightly regarded with anxiety. Ihe disease is always present in New Zealand, but it seems to blaze up every ten years or so with special violence, and as there has not been a serious epidemic for about eleven years the possibility of a serious visitation now is obvious. In these circumstances the authorities have reason to be on the alert, i and people ought to co-operate fully in any measures that the Health Department considers necessary. Fortunately the school ; year has ended, so that educational work need not be interrupted; ! but it is important that,-'gatherings of children during the holidays ! should be discouraged. It may be difficult to confine the outbreak ; to the South, when so many people are travelling, but the prompt j notification of cases and the isolation of patients will greatly assist I in effective control. j