"A FOOL'S PARADISE."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 24 August 1914, Page 2

"A FOOL'S PARADISE."

i (To t'he Editor.) Sir, From tihc Dominion of New Zeaiu B^ores . &cat of active fitting m the horrifying war now setting in may be remote, and consequently tihtere may be little apprehension of the conni "7 resting in tflie imagined security o) what might be termed a "Fool's Paradise," but Australia is- just rej»icin cr iu the possesion of an efficient local aavy, and is blessing tdie foresight of her k'gMators in so rendering her independent, in ease of need of aid from Flngland, \or of tllie necessity of imploring the assistance of Jap:;-n. Deminion's ports possess scarcely the shadow of &> navy, two comparatively insignificant ships constituting her only marine armament; virtually not a fort or look-out of any description along he.; extent of open ccaata. Owing mainly t > the work and efforts of early pioneers, the prosperity of New Zealand is unquestioned, and she is now lavishly finding "more men," the youth of tih'e districts, bbe. best horses, and money, for the protection of the Old Oonntrv, while bestowing bint s-linfht co.nsiii ia.tion on the conditions of her own safety. Tshe coat of tile battleship presentedwitlh avowed patriotism to Great Britain would alone have sufficed, or done much towards the building of cruisers for the pos3ibly required dc-fence of hor j own cities and l seaboard, while a modij pitm of the fundS' employed in the j creation of ipalatial parliamentary edij flees at Wellington, might not i3l adjviscdly tave gone to improved eomjmunication and roads for the isolated ] settlers of tihe back blocks who lon<» have seemed to complain, with justice, pi neglect. It might not be uninteresting to know what stock of rifles, cartridges, and ammunition the Dominion can -boast, and among all the gifts to departing' members of contingents, a single revolver is not mentioned, which | instrument might ultimately liave prov«d of equal service or comfort, as ornamental meeTschiaums. The walls of th! city of Liege, and its forts, have not y.;t fallen before the blast of the liaiser'-s trumpets, wherewith the sword of the "Lord and of Gideon" he expected to smite the Gentile hip and thigh, and he i 3 already exhibiting signs of being riled on failing-to pour bis troops ir- • resistibly into "La. belle France" through the neutral fields of Belgium.—l am, etc., C.W.W. Fitzrov, August 21, 19/14. )