PHYSICALLY FIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1919, Page 6

PHYSICALLY FIT.

GOVfIKSMENTS PLANS iSOR CWI- \ ZEN DEVEUOPMENT. SPEECH BY SUR JAMES ALLESN. Speaking at the reception given by the Women's National Keuerve to the mothers of soldiers and sailors ou Wednesday, Sir J anies Allen (Minister of Defence) 6aid he hoped that the League ol Nations would he such a league as would make the horror of the past four and ahalf years impossible of repetition. He did not think that the nations would agree to disarm and felt that if our own country should ever be ealled upon to defend itself it should be in a position to do it. He realised that wo would never be found lacking the courage, but we might be found unprepared. Sir James Allen referred to the large number of men found to be physically unfit, and urged the necessity for remedying aueh a state of affairs. Everything possible should be done to make men physically fit, not that they might take up arms, but that they might be efficient in civilian life. He felt that during the war this country showed something more than loyalty. When called to make enormous sacrifices the spirit shown by the people had been one of faith in their country, in themselves, and in the race. When it was deemed necessary to bring forward a scheme for compulsory military service, no country accepted the Act more readily than New Zealand, which showed not only confidence in the Act, bat also in the chinery used to carry it out. Hp believed that the military service boards had the confidence of the public generally. He would quote what two of the chairmeu of these boards had said when asked what lesson they carried with them from their work. One said that the bravest souls who faced the board had been women.. They had surrendered brothers, husbands, and sons because they felt that nothing must interfere with their duty to their country. The other said that the members of the board would never forget the glorious spirit of women- who had bravely withdrawn their applications rather than jeopardise their country in her hour of peril. Sir .Tames added that whilst this spirit lasted we need have no fear for the welfare of our country. The speaker touched shortly upon af-ter-war problems of reconstruction, and upon the levelling effect of the war in so far that men who had fought and suffered together had a spirit of comradeship, brotherhood, self-sacrifice, and friendship that nothing could kill. General Russell had said: "We must keep alivo the spirt of each for all." In this he felt that no influence was so potent as women's influence, and he would ask them to use that influence towards making what we all desired, a healthier, brighter, and more intelligent people. The Defence Department thoroughly appreciated all that the women had done to help the soldiers. He felt they had worked very hard and was sure that in hard work had been the anodyne for their suffering. He felt that the women had done much to place the Empire where it was to-day. Sir James Allen was warmly applauded at the conclusion of his addresß, and frequently throughout.

The Hon. G. W. Russell said that ho was in complete agreement with all that Sir Janies Allen had said regarding the deed for improving the degree of physical fitness of the young men, but he not only wanted to see stalwart and fit young men, but young women also. In order to have a healthy race of men and women we must, ho said, start with the cradle and lay a sound foundation. During the period remaining to him as Minister of Public Health he was going to do all he could to make such a principle sound and sure. He pointed out that raiivh was <lono by supporting the Plunkot Society, and also by St. Helens Hospitals. But more must be done by education, and the country must make up its mind to spend the money necessary. He was of opinion that the Agricultural Department received much more money than that of I'ublio Health—indued, the country only "spent on public health one-tenth part of what it spent on cattfe." He was very proud of the part played by the women of this country during the war. He instanced a girl who had come to him regarding a passage to England to marry her sweetheart, who had lost both legs. He was glad to be able to tell her that the Government would help her out of patriotic funds raised by the people of this country. He thought such devotion very fine. Mr Russell hoped that these meetings of soldiers' mothers wouM continue and would bn productive of good fellowship. Alluding to repatriation, he stated that it was the desire of tho Government that the soldiers should as soon as possible be absorbed into the civilian life of the country. The National War Funds Council would assist as far as possible the work of the repatriation boards. One thing they meant to do was that wherever a soldier had matriculated and was desirous of entering a learned profession they would help him to do so. The thirty or thirty-five thousand pounds which they possessed would be expended in helping soldiers to improve their position. He agreed with Sir James Allen in doubting possible disarmament, and considered we should he prepared for eventualities by having a trained civilian force amongst our population. (Applause.)