WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1919, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

TERRITORIAL TRAINING. THE MINISTER EXPLAINS. (Special Correspondent) Wellington, July 16. Through the convenient channel of a letter to one of his colleagues, the Minister of Lands, Sir James Allen replies to some of the criticism which lias been levelled against his "suggestion that in their first year territorials should go into camp for four months' training. One of his constituents, a minister of the gospel, wrote to Mr Guthrie, it seems, pointing out the objections to the suggestion and the Minister of Defence' seized upon the opportunity presented by this communication to indite a general defence of his scheme . This explanation is necessary to make it plain that Sir James Allen and his colleagues are not at variance on the subject. The Minister's statement, though addressed to Mr Guthrie, is intended for the world at large. NOTHING DEFINITELY SETTLED. But it is not to be understood that the scheme has yet been definitely adopted as part of the policy of the National Government or of the Reform Party. "No Bill lias been prepared to provide for territorials during their first year going through a period of four months' training in camp," Sir James Allen writes. "I have made a statement to the public that the system of territorial training in the past has not led to efficiency, and that experiences with the reinforcements during the war period have led me to the conclusion .that the most economical way to produce efficiency would be the adoption of a system somewhat similar to the training of the Expeditionary Force camp." Needless ,to say, the scheme already has provoked a great deal of hostility and has found little favor even with the Minister's close political friends.

THE OBJECTIONS. The objections being urged against the scheme by the Council of Churches and the employers of labor might be overcome without much difficulty, but those put forward by parents and by the Labor Party rest on a more substantial basis. Sir James Allen commends to his colleague ,the new syllabus for cadet training mentioned in this column the other day, but in this very syllabus the reader is confronted with the significant statement "that no movement that possesses a purely military system is likely to prove a success in the Dominion, since it is exactly • the military domination that, we have been fighting agains.t in Germany." Here is the whole difficulty that lies in the way of the Minister's good intentions.

THE MILITARY SYSTEM. The fear of military domination in .this country may be quite unjustified, but plenty of people wishing to discredit the Minister and his Department are declaring it already is among us. Wellington is particularly sore on this point. It has seen at close quarters the waste and extravagance which seems inseparable from military administration, and it has seen highly pa-id officers retained in khaki long after all iiced for their services seems to have disappeared. Stories are told of dentistß in uniform being sent to Egypt after the armistice in order to get their war medals and to excuse a continuance of their pay. The worst that is said of the Minister in connection with these matters is that he has allowed himself to be overridden by his military advisers and has asserted himself only when the Dominion's obligations to the Mo.ther Country were at stakes. But in the eyes of his critics this only justifies the fear of military domination.

THE LIQUOR TRADE. The central executive of the New Zealand Moderate League has determined to support the State Control issue at the licensing poll to be held at the time of the next general election. This, of course, is in continuation of its settled policy, and so far it offers no new opening to its critics. But there is a growing feeling among people who take a broad view of the licensing question that State Control is not going to have a fair run at the approaching poll. The absence of any system of preferential voting on the three issues to be submitted to the electors makes it certain that Continuance will be carried. No License and State Control will be divided against one another, and Continuance, being the system in possession, will have everything to gain by their divisions. This 'is ssj. obvious that the independent advocates of State Control are .taking no iaUreat la tin vamjMggin