THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1907. THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8523, 28 August 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1907. THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND.

The more the question is considered, the more startling ly real does the necessity of .developing an adequate system of defence appear. It must be admitted that at the present moment New Zealand is in a defenceless condition, yet, from our point o? view, the country is well worth defending. Surely the people of New Zealand, as a whole, must realise that it is none too soon to form the ground work of an effectitve defence system. There is good reason to fear that Great Britain's outlook is not altogether a happy one. Certainly her strength in comparison with that of other nations has diminished during recent years. Not the wisest of statesmen can foretell even the immediate future with any degree of certainty. To-morrow, figuratively speaking, Great Britain may be plunged into a war, the extent and end of which it would be impossible to estimate. The time was—and not so very long ago when the British Navy was maintained at a three-power standard; that is, the British Navy was considered to be capable of defeating the combined navies of any other three Powers. To-day the British Navy is considered to be at a two-power standard, but, assuming that she were confronted with the combined navies of Germany and America, and the immense resources of thoso two nations, we venture to say that the estimated strength of the British Navy would be found somewhat faulty. Then again, the condition of the British Army approximates pretty nearly to a national disgrace, while Britain's fiscal policy is lessening her trade and tending to destroy the vitality of her people. "Defence nut defiance" is the motto of the National League, and it is a motto which the people of New Zealand should "live up to." Until we absolutely know beyond the faintest

shadow of doubt that we are in a position to resist invasion to a fairly solid extent, we shall never really enjoy any genuine sense of security. So far as we are concerned, it is a smiling and a peaceful world to-day, but the sunshine of to-day may be followed by storm clouds on the morrow, and unexpected cataclysms and disasters the day 'after. The National League says, in effect, "there is urgent need of defence, arm yourselves, arm yourselves to-day, to protect all that we hold most dear, all that is most highly revered and cherished by an honourable and courageous people."