A FIGHTING SPEECH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 121, 13 November 1911, Page 5

A FIGHTING SPEECH.

THE PREMIER ON DEEIENCE. SOME VIVID AROTMWCS. ®y Telegraph.—Press Association, lavercargill, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward went to the Blu? oil Saturday, wliere he received a cordial reception from the .Mayor and citizens, lira. Nicho! (wife of ilve Mayor) presenting a bouquet to Lady Ward. During the afternoon the ladies at the Bluff gave a reception to Lady AVarxl. In tie evening the Premier addressed about 700 people and was very warmly received. The Mayor presided. Most of Sir Joseph Ward's speech covered old ground', but on the question of defence he touched new matter. THE OPPOSITION AND THE TERRITORIALS. He contradicted the statement that . the Defence Department was compelling boys and cadets to go into camp with men. Tikis was worse than untrue, because the Opposition knew that under the Territorial system cadets were not under the jurisdiction of the Defence Department, but controlled by the education authorities. Their own teachers were their officers. It has also been saidi that the senior cadets (ages 15 to 18 years) should not be allowed to go into camp with men. The proposal to have boys go into camp was not contemplated by the Bill. These statements were a colossal attempt to snatch votes ' from the mothers of the boys* In declaring against the boys going into camp, they were saying that the Prime Minister should prevent something that was never proposed to be done. The defence system was supported by every member of the Opposition and by the' Trades ami Labor Councils, and was the law of the Dominion. Why had no member of the Opposition published not a line in support of it? Because they believed that but a small section of the community was against it. It was a question which should be placed above party tactics, and wherever he went he would call attention to the men who were sheltering under the cover of a prearranged silence. OUR DREADNOUGHT. Referring to the Dreadnought, the ■ Premier spoke of Mr. Massey's assertions concerning the autocratic nature of his (Sir Joseph Ward's) doings. There were CO or 70 Opposition candidates saying at the present time that he ought to be put out of office on account of his action regarding the Dreadnought. He had consulted Parliament and his colleagues, 'and the presentation of a Dreadnought had been made subject to ■ ratification by Parliament. The Opposition now stated that they objected to the way in which the proposal had been made and that the honor and prestige of the country would have been jeopardised if they had voted against it. bir Joseph Ward declared that every., member of Parliament could have voted against the proposal without loss of presr tije to the country had he so desired, because he had left the way open. Members, of the Opposition had voted for the proposal because in their own minds they knew what a grand thing it was for the country and for the Empire, and wanted to have a share in the kudos of passing i-1, i Proposal had not been madl till Parliament sat, the effect would fiave been lost. Being made when it was, it caused other nations, to realise for the first time in the history of Great Britain that the Dominions beyond the seas were knit firmly with the Motherland. THE YELLOW PERIL. He reminded the workers that the Labor Government of Australia had established universal military training and decided to build a fleet of its own* A naval expert had estimated that the capital cost of the navy would be twenty or thirty millions, and internal defence should cost two millions a year. If the Labor Government of Australia had done that, might not New Zealand be willing to pay £400,000 a year for internal defence and £150,000 a year for naval defence? By reason of the greater nmu- . ber of harbors, the coast line of New. Zealand was more vulnerable than that of Australia. The Premier went on to speak oi the proximity of Australia and New Zealand to China, of the awakening m that country, and of the imminent danger of the yellow peril. The Pacifio squadron, had. been called to Home waters^

A SHADOW IN NEW ZEALAND. The shadow of a great colored nation was looming over our country, and if we were not reasonably equipped within, our own borders and had not the pro- ' tectum of the British Navy we would find ourselves at the mercy of China which had been equipping during the last ten years and was expected by the authorities to be within the next ten years even greater than Japafl. Would anyone contend that ii China were as well equipped as japaa, there was no danger to New Zealand? It was the bounden duty of every man in the Dominion! to be as well trained as the trained men who were likely to come and attempt to take the country from us. To-day m New Zealand there was the purest race m the world. This was admitted and was owing to the strict laws that were in favor with regard to the immigration of aliens. Would they have it said that in the event of trouble ansmg, ten men in a street would volunteer for active service while 20 men in the same street would refuse to do anyw g t ? he ,] s ind? This wo «l«i mean that the brand of "coward" would be stamped on the forehead of the Z£ of New Zealand F»pie,

He did not believe that there was a rbe^d eco r ryvvhowouid^^ to .be said. There were men who beind thafu gfeat da " ger Was "» and that it was worth while in dn ~ Mtle towards the proteton of th* tXr^c? and thewhit ' e THE BRITISH NAVY To establish a New Zealand riavy was financially impr at . t i cab i e f or a t -6u .try of BiS%r; p t s E irv csßel a i tbie er s w i were doing verv littlp f™ i* ' Everyone perpetuated and in anotherßation about. In the meantime, to orese™ the peace of the world | m ,/i fh f™*™ f-e scinT g« *J men were required "under the B«teK operation. N olle of them 7ere oZ » years of a» e p\cpii«- +l.- V ' il old es "St A"" transferred to the system a yeir 01 wo nf'f • , .." GiVH eluded the Pren 0 r -W ?£*"«• COn " tern can be reviewed and ** incongruities p^™.' 98 "* Tr; e rtV ; ? JeinS --' ;)arty ac^to^i^-^nc.™