DEFENDING THE COUNTRY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9173, 24 August 1908, Page 5

DEFENDING THE COUNTRY.

SOME POINTED QUESTIONS. Mr Bollard has given notice to ask the Minister for Defence:—(l) What steps he proposes taking towards increasing the number of volunteers to the necessary strength for the pro-1 tection of the Dominion? (Note: The volunteer force is at present 17,000 strong on paper. Of this number only 3,000 turiied out for the Easter manoeuvres. The object of these manoeuvres was to test the attack and defence of the four chief centres). (2) What is being done in the matter of horsing and equipping the field artillery? (Note: The system adopted hitherto of hiring horses from time to time is altogether wrong; both horses and drivers need to be highly trained'to be of use in field manoeuvres). (3) What precautions have been taken for t! e safeguarding of the cable station in the North, in the event of hostilities and of the fleet being elsewhere? (Note: The Hon. R. McNab told us in a speech at a banquet at Otautau, in December last, that the defences of the Dominion were being put in a very forward condition, every post of strategic importance and every possible system "of land attack having been submitted to careful study. Does the turn-out of volun eers last Easter hear this out? How can you defend if you have not the requisite force to do it with?) t (4) Has the battery on 'Mojnt Victoria been protected against an attack on land, it being the key to the defence of the Auckland north shore? (5) What steps is the Government taking towards keaping up a proper supply of rifles in the country? (Note: The present number is some 60,000, when there ought to be at least 150,000).