DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 103, 22 April 1908, Page 2

DEFENCE.

NATIONAL LEAGUE CONFERENCE

per i'ftibs Association. Wellington, Last Nig l " Tile fust conference of the Na«°i Lcii"iii' of Xcw Zealand opened here I any" Xlie delegates are the lion. T. \ lli'slop (Jlayor oi Wellington), ill'. . I'. Eirlli (Wellington), ill'. Jolm Fallen ill'. C. 1' .ilui'doeh, Air. J. Woollcr, il \ llosking, and ill'. 11. **'■ Hack l "(Auckland), Mr. F. (J. Kinsuy (Wiunui ])r. Alounlaiiie (Alaungaturot'O), Lieut Colonel lloring (Whangarci), Air. .Li C renir(Napier), Mr. 11. M. lioddingto and ill'. C. Kobinsou (Alasterton), ill. t 11. Escott (Woodvillc), Captain Mi Naught (Wanganui), Captam Uarltro (I'cilding), Sergeant Uond (blthain),,Mi J. J. W. Dalrymple (Wellington), ill'. L !■'. Solomon (Carterton). Mr. J l'.lL'irt ins eleoted eliairman, and Mr. lv- A. Hacket secretary. The report of th executive stated that the League wa started in Auckland in August, l«0t>, t advocate tile training of tile youth o the Dominion for defence purposes. Afte twenty months the executive was satis lied tile public tone on the matter wa liealtby. The League has BliOO member* Oi' llmse 414!) are in tile Auckland pre vince, 1802 in Wellington province, 38 in Taranaki, 358 in llawke s Bay, 2!) in Canterbury, 188 in Westlaml, 18.) r Otago, and 183 ill Nelson and Marl borough. There are fifty-six branehe in various parts of the nonunion. Hi treasurer has received in donation £SOB 7s. and in membership subscrij lions £358 9s, a total of *1221 M The executive has made three eilort by the employment of paid organiser to spread the movement throughout th Dominion. Several of the League lihimties had devoted attention to th •ncouragement of rille shooting, and ha •stablished miniature ranges, while meil lis for marksmanshi]) had been provide nit of a .special fund collected in Auck and for the purpose. In May last depn a lions from the general council of th jeague wnited on the Alinister lo education and ilinister for Defence an trged Government assistance in the es ablishment of miniature ranges. Sub equently the Education Departmen ssued a circular ottering a subsidy o £ for £ for the establishment of mini lure ranges at public schools, but ap ilications have been declined on i ;round that the Department is considerng the matter with a view to having a iniversal system of outdoor ranges e-s----ablished at the schools.

The report and balance-slieet was adopted without discussion. A resolution was adopted warnilv commending the Auckland executive for its work.

It was resolved that there be established district councils at Auckland, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim/llokitika, Christclmreh, Wangaiiui, Dunedin, and lnvercargill, the territorial limits ol* each district council to be defined and J'rom time to time varied by the general council. It was proposed that the objects of the League be deiined as follows: To ensure domestic peace and security from all possible invasion by obtaining the national adoption of the following safeguards: universal defensive training, either ashore or afloat of all boys and young men until the age of 21, with encouragement of continued training; all •men engaged in every branch of the local maritime and waterside industries to be licensed, preference in all .State employment and licensed occupations to British citizens who t'ullil special training conditions; rifle ranges to be provided in every township, aud Morris tube ranges in every urban and suburban school district} suiiicient rilles to be kept in the country to arui every capable citizen, and suiiicient ammunition in suitable centres to make all riflemen effective for defence; any other legitimate means for strengthening national defence.

Various arrangements were made for furthering these objects, and for organisation. The anuual subscription was fixed at one shilling. The council is to arrange for the free delivery to subscribers of the monthly journal " Defence."

It was decided that the head office of the League be at Auckland. It was hlmo decided to ask the Minister of Defence to address the League.