NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1920, Page 4

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

DOMINION MUST BE READY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, July 8. General Sir Andrew Russell attended to-day the meeting of the Council'of Agriculture, and explained tW nims and objects of the National Defence of New Zealand. He staled that the League agreed that the navy was the first line of defence, without which the Empire could not exist, hut it-was not nearly enough to have a strong navy. New- Zealanders must be prepared themselves to act in time of need. Defence was a matter of insurance, not of aggression. There was no idea of aggression in the minds of the league. It was impossible to produce a sufficient defence force—navy, territorial force and air force—without money. He doubted whether it could he done under £750,000—a day and a-half or two days' work per head of the population. The bulk of the money would be spent in the country. A ' thoroughly good system of training, covering ajll the practical points of life from a civic point of view would be all for the-bene-fit of the people. An enormous amount of good might he dono in territorial camps by some form of civic instruction. The people had to learn to work under skilful organisation towards a common aim a3 industrial development advanced. Sir A. Russoll was heartily thanked.