THE COLONY'S DEFENCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 6, 8 January 1900, Page 2

THE COLONY'S DEFENCES.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. In his speech at Pahautanui on Wednesday night, the Premier took the opportunity of making a reply to some recent criticisms of the state of the defences of the celony, The press, he said, desiring no doubt to safeguard the interests of the colony, had asked, in view of the developments in the Transvaal and the indications of trouble in other directions, "How are we prepared in New Zealand?"

They could rest assured that the Government had not been behindhand, asd if the contingency arose New Zealand would be prepared to meet it. (Applause.) Ho was not going into details, and would not say how many rifles or big guns they had in the colony, or what ammunition was in stock. Kruger didn't tell j the British what he had in stock ; he would have been a stup.d man to have done so. It was a recognised rule of the British authorities not to divulge

such matters. Some of the newspapers of the colony had stated that the colony was unprepared, and was short of rifles and ammunition. The statement was absolutely incorrect. They were short of neither rifles nor ammunition, nor were they short of fighting men.

(Cheers.) Suffice co say that a request had been made for £IO,OOO of unauthorised expenditure, and

that ought to satisfy the most doubtful that the colony was prepared to meet any emergency that might arise. Credit had already been given the colony for the promptness with which it had despatched the first contingent to the Cape. They were now preparing a second one, and their Ditteres'G opponents would have to admit that the Government was doing its duty in this respect, and carrying out the wishes of the great majority of the people of the colony. He hoped they would hear no more about unpreparedness, because it was almost like telling those who were opposed to the Empire and these who would like to take a slice out of it—and New Zealand was about as ohoice a bit as could be found anywhere—to come here. The strongest course was to say, " Let them come, and we will teach them such a lesson that they will never come again."

(Cheers.) It would be well if those who took up this question for political y purposes were to recognise that this y was a matter in which all political s differences must be sunk, and they must all work shoulder to shoulder, and t ' show the outside world and our kindred a ; that we will stand or fall together and light to the last man ou behalf of our [ i iiag and our country. (Hear, hear.) i The Premier contrasted the defences t

of the colony at the present with their condition wueu he first took office as 1 Minister for Defence. What had occurred in the Transvaal had proved that British military experts liad not looked far enough ahead. Hither - to in this colony country corps had not been regarded as a very necessary line of defence, and as a consequence, if lie had been a weakminded man, the colony would have been forced to roly almost solely . upon the permanent force, consisting of a few men in the four chief centres. By what had eventuated, and without wishing to be egotistical, it seemed to him that he had sesri further ahead than some of our experts had done in i this matter. If the occasion arose to- [ morrow, and every line of defence wasl wanted, the country corps would be 1 there. If ever the time arose when an I emergency had to be met, and there! was found any shortcomings on liis part in regard to defence matters, then would be the time to complain. In the meantime no one for political purposes had any right to play into the hands of our enemies and the enemies of the Empire. (Applause.) —I'ost..