THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1907. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8456, 5 June 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 1907. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

j Among the great questions upon which the Imperial Conference delegates have helped to influence the British public is the supremely important one of national defence. Sir Joseph Ward stated at the Conference that it was New Zealand's ambition to train every man to defend his country, which noble sentiment we hope to see materialised into practise under fostering legislation. Mr Deakin has since addressed a great meeting of the National Service League on behalf of universal training. "It is instructive to observe," remarks the New Zealand Herald, "how common to the whole British world is the National Defence movement. In every part of the Empire it has been suddenly perceived that a people which possesses the best lands, the greatest commerce, and the freest institutions, is everywhere comparatively unprotected, though surrounded by nations who are steadily preparing for war. We rely solely upon the navy, and it is obviously unreasonable to depend entirely upon what is not necessarily an impregnable line of defence. There are within the Empire some 55,000,000 white citizens, who are all vitally interested in the security of their homes from foreign invasion, yet we have not the defensive force that can be called to arms by little Switzerland, which is so securely guarded by its citizen militia, amid the gigantic armies of the European Continent. The United Kingdom ought to be able, to range two million armed and trained men against any invading army, and if this were provided by universal training we should hear no more of the possibility of a successful attack upon the heart of the Empire. And what is true of the

Mother Country is true of every part of it. It is the • direst political folly for us in New Zealand, to concentrate our attention upon the accumulating of material prosperity without taking common-sense precautions to protect it. The Freehold is the best form of tenure, in our opinion, but we must all agree with Mr Leyland, who told the Farmers' Union that neither freehold nor leasehold mattered if the colony could not be defended. In the present state of the world with Europe armed to the teeth, and with Asia organising fast under ambitious military and naval leaders, the most pressing of our national duties is undoubtedly the provision of efficient national defence. Mr Deakin is pressing this upon the attention of the United Kingdom, and in New Zealand, as in Britain, there is no better work for any public-spirited citizen." AN APPEAL TO MASTERTON CITIZENS. To day, the Mayor (Mr J. M. Coradine) and Messrs J. C. Ewington and M. C. O'Connell, commence a canvass of Masterton citizens for subscriptions in aid of the proposed Technical School. 4 We believe that the mission will prove highly successful the promoters of the movement not only deserve success, but they should be able to command it, for their object is one which must commend itself in the eyes of every public-spirited citizen, be he rich or poor. The advantages that will accrue to the whole community if such a technical school, as Mr Coradine has in view, is established need not be reiterated on the present occasion. They may, however, be summed up in the Mayor's words:— "We want to establish facilities whereby the youth of the community may # improve themselves—we want, in fact, to make better men and women — better Masterton citizens." The public are certainly asked to ' subscribe a fair sum of jnoney, but when the object for which donations are asked is considered one cannot help thinking but that there will be a most ready response. We do not believe that the citizens of Masterton will be found backward in recognising the importance cf technical education —a question that is really one of vital national importance. The result of the present movement will show whether we are right or wrong.