DEFENCE LEAGUE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 8 February 1907, Page 2

DEFENCE LEAGUE.

There was a disappointing audience at the Theatre Royal on Thursday evening at the meeting held under .(lie I auspices of the Defence League. The -lAlayor, Mr J'l. Dockr'dl.presidc.l, and wiln him on the stage were .Mr C. 11. l'ooie. A 1.11.11.. Colonel Okcy and Cap tain Hood, organiser. The Mayor, in iiitrodueiim- the speakers to the meeting, sa ; d the na (ioiiul defence was deserving far more iitlention both in England and in Ihe as lending to make the Empire ready to stand the test of war. He quoted th remarks of Earl liobfrts on the importance of being always pre pared. Patriots were worth very little indeed unless lilted to oppose 'iraiiK'd forces, lie apologised for the absence of Archdeacon ('alder, who had gone on to Auckland, having been unable ti

remain for the meeting. Mr l'ooie said he had been louring the colony and had at various p'ae<«< spoken on the subject of ,|he defence of (he colony. lie disowned any connection to jingloism— ,v.' was ii.it in the habit of looking for trouble, but he believed in being prepared. The inslincl of defence was demonstrated in cviei'y type. 0 f lit',.. Legislation could be of'no avail unless provision were made to safeguard the oasts and defend the country. This ques lion stood side I>v side in importance with the Land Bill. The sp;'aker re ferred to the time when selt'crs and soldiers in this district were engaged in conflict with the .Maori, and deduced

from flint the (bought then' must be many men here willing to take part in p. movement to prepmrc thoj colony against any invasion of the future. The Defence League had been started in Auckland and prominent citizens were among its enthusiastic workers who, as in the case of every new movement, had met with opposition from people who cried out against the jingoistic tendencies of those Avlioin the 'oppoiionts considered foolish enough and bloodthirsty enough to join. Tint the criticism ws unfair, for all cla.sses of people we|ro assisting, recognising thai some defence was necessary. He would not advocate conscription., which seriously interrupted civil life, and he would not advocate any heavy expenditure of public money, but he wanted, in time of peril, to have n nation of men (hat could shoot straight. Sir Joseph Ward a member of Ihe League, had slated thai there were only 50,000 lilies available in Ihe colony for military service. Of these a. big Ijloi'tion would conjdsl of old Sniders. which would kill at bolh ends. These would be useless against upt.o dale armament. It was a time for

people of the colony to dc id thai there should be a sullicielit supply of arms and ammunition. The colony was arousing envy in ihe minds of fhe nations. France and Germany were self-contained, but put a barrier round England mid her people starve. We looked to" the Mother Country foi

protection, and looked for support from that end during complication*. .But in the ease of Continental war, and the Navy all kept busy, where would we be with our SnidersV This colony was a long way behind the stall dard of elliciency necessary to give us a feeling of safety. The'lCastcru millions were looking for land- to rcttle in. The "little 'brown man" was on 'the move, and the Japanese population wa.s overllowing into the islands of the Pacific. China was opening her eyes after the long sleep of conservatism, looking abroad, drilling hordes of men. Could it be believed that China was going to remain quiet at home when a great unoccupied portion of North Australia was awaiting invasion and population? And Now Zealand was not far removed illroni Australia. (io to America, where Curie Sum was doing everything to safeguard the interests of the United Stales, and lie thought 'that some day America would not be found at our side in case of a conllict. lie advocated certain incisures of sellflsufficiency so that in case of emergency we could have appliances to protect our lands, our in'terests. our people, ami the colony generally. I'eople asked, "Why cross the bridge before you vmm\ to lit':" Hut his was a pro-, gramme of preparedness. Me dealt with the League's objects, elaborating each plank of the platform, and at the conclusion of his addn+s Ml' Toole appealed for members, an appeal 'that seemed to be fairly well responded to. Lieiiteiiant\CoJuiiel Okcry, the nest speaker, said that from boyhood he had felt Hie greatest interest in 'the volunteering movement, having joined the forces at the age of 17 and been a volunteer ever since. The most important part of a soldier's I raining was rille shooting, for if a man could not shoot he was not much good, lurft even the best di-e'pline in tlie world could not 'stand against good shooting Yet discipline and ilriii was never so much needed as now, under the present conditions, for now the opcrationns covered such an extent of country and the colonel or ollicer in charge had to depend on the sergeant or section com, mamlors. who were fully as important as the captain of former times. Each man had to be able to act on bis own initiative, if anything could be done to make the young men in the colonv cllieicnt rille shots they would have 'done a great thing in the defence of the country. If an enemy came, men could get a lot of rough drill in a month, and if they had learned rille shooting, then there would lie good soldiers quite ready. A loca'l branch was forinod, with the following ollicers: —■ President, Lieutl Colonel'Okey; secretary, Caip tain ilood; treasurer. .Mr W.ll. Skinner; comittee. Major Demp'sey, Messfs liake'r. Mynolt. IVniuan. Jiatlalio Sergeant .Major Aruiilne-e, with power to add to their number. Mr C. K. Bakey moved a hearty vote thanks to Mr Toole. The motion was carried by acclaiumaliou, and Mr Toole replied. A vole of 1 hanks to the chair terminated the proc.teding during which a large number of members was enrolled.