CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 11, 13 June 1913, Page 8

CORRESPONDENCE.

|AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL BOYS AND I " GIRLS. To the Editor, Sir,—The boys and girls abont to visit a ship of which many people in New Zealand are Very prowl. They are proud of this ship because it such a fine ship, one of the finest pf its- sort; and they are proud of it because it was built at the expense of the Damp ion and presented to the British Government, foe what is callfcd Imperial defence. Tliero is, however, another wav of looking at this ship, jc is a warship, and is built and equipped to destroy life and property; and this is something to be sorry for, if not to !>e ashamed of. It may i bo necessary sometimes to use force to defend one's rights, pr to portect the rights and libwties'of other people; in , * fact, to have ships tind gims to act as >»< kind of international police. But when all that is admitted, it would be better if the means to use ■ all this force were kept in the liaek'griSund and not'parad* " ed, boasted about or rejoiced in. it is a sad thing tnat we need go many policemen and gaols in our country; and it is equally sad that among nations it is deemed necessary to keep up warships. While looking over H.M.S. New Zealand ' think of a!! this and, as you look on this war preparation, pray to God that this fine ship may never be used for anything else than a show-ship.—l am,etc„ AN OLD SCHOOLMASTER.