UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3204, 2 June 1909, Page 5

UNIVERSAL MILITARY TRAINING.

ADDRESS BY MR R. M'NAB. AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. When the local branch of the National Defence League moved in the matter of asking Mr R. McNab to deliver a lecture in Masterton on "Universal Military Training," there was little doubt that it would not be taken up with the utmost enthusiasm. Meetings were held, strong committees formed, and all arrangements speedily put in hand for a successful meeting.

Prior to the meeting last evening a large number of people gathered outside the Town Hall. There the Masterton Municipal Band discoursed a number of patriotic selections which were greatly appreciated. The Hall was well filled, and included in the audience were residents from all parts of the Wairarapa. The gathering was most enthusiastic and from the beginning to the end of the lecture the speaker's remarks were listened to with the keenest interest.

The Mayor (Mr P. L. Hollings) presided, and there were also on the platform Mr A. Armstrong (Mayor of Carterton), Lieut.-Colonel Tate (Greytown), Captain H. F. Skey (Carterton), Captain A. B. Charters (Greytown), Capta'n H. C. Robinson, Lieut. Hart (Carterton), Very Rev. Dean McKenna, Rev. C. E. Porter, Dr Cook, Messrs R. Brown, J. D. Cruickshank, M. C. O'Connell, W. H. Jackson, J. Hunter, R. J. King, G. Hyde, W. J. Winslade, E. A. Collier, J. Prentice and Mr H. M. Boddington (Secretary of the local Defence League). Apologies for absence were received from the Mayors of Greytown and Eketahuna. The Mayor, in introducing Mr McNab, stated that ne did not intend to trespass on the lecturer's time by making any lengthy observations. Mr McNab was travelling throughout the Dominion, and devoting himself with the commendable task of endeavouring to inspire the people with what he believed was a great principle. There were two sides to every question, and they would like to hear Mr McNab's side. In conclusion he asked for the lecturer a patient hearing. Mr McNab was warmly cheered when he rose to address the audience. He referred to the great pleasure it had given him to accept the invitation to deliver an address in Masterton on a (subject of such importance. He wanted to speak as an old volunteer, to volunteers—the rank and file and officers i*> command. As late Minister for Defence he had had the opportunity of looking behind the scenes and ascertaining the exact position of the voluntary system in New Zealand. The other nations of the world had thair system of training, but no other country in Europe except Great Britain relied on the volunteer system to fill their armies. Although it was said that China had the same system. He wanted them to consider whether the present system was a success. The speaker then quoted the opinion of Lord Roberts — who, he said amongst ancient and modern generals, stands on the very tonnnst rung—(applause)—of the volunteer syslem in Great Britain. Lord Roberts was the only General of ancient or modern times who had led his forces to victory on the field of battle without a single man under J l him who was pressed into the service. « '(Applause). As his fifty years of' j victorious had been gained at the j head of armies gathered under the voluntary system. Lord Roberts was biased in favour of the voluntary system. If then, he condemned the system, how much was that condemnation worth to us? Mr McNab quoted .Lord Roberts on "Imperial Defence" to show that hj« spoke in terms of the highest praise of the officers and men, but in thorough condemnation of the system. The volunteers could not be asked to do more than they were doing, but th ,y could not reach that standard of efficiency which was necessary if they were to face the thoroughly trained troops of the other Powers. Lord Roberts considered that fan army of 200,000 men to be sent to ary patt of the Empire was sufficient, but he wanted a vast national ressrve to make good the wastage in time of war: Lord Roberts had also stated in 1906 that it would be the height of folly for Great Brtain to enter into a campaign with a civilised, P^wer,'depending en an arW gftqaled as theirs was at that time, The situation had, noc changed, though the Territorials I hacj replaced the volunteers. " COmaing to volunteering in Australia Mr McNab said thai the Australians themselves had decided that their volunteering system was a failure. Mr Fisher had been placed there in the interests of Labour, and although according to recent political developments he was apparently not going to last long," fee plishecfgood work. Australia was the first Government ii.< British Dominions which intended to introduce compulsory training up to twenty years. It had been suggested that universal service would be inimical to the workers. If he coyjd. exclude those who were engaged in the industries of the country he would do so, but he believed that it would be a mistake. The nation which took the industrial worker for the maximum period out of his industry, and put him into training, was Britain's greatest competitor in the fields of industry. (Applause). The speaker said the volunteers were perhaps in some respects a difficult body, to estimate correctly. He intended to take last year's report of the Inspector-General (Colonel Davies) for figures he would quote. He found that the country paid capitation on 13,049 volunteers. Colonel Davies, who had served in South Africa, and was the only colonial officer promoted to take charge of a column, was sent to find' the 13,049 volunteers for whom the country was paying capitation. Parades were called for times convenient at the places visited, and the InspectorGeneral came back and reported that he bad only been able to find 7,1C9. At' the Easter camp,, which was held in the one period of the year when they got nearest service condition, they found that only 6,000 volunteers out turned. In every 100 paid for under the volunteer system the Inspector-General only found 54when he inspected the corps, and only 45 at the Easter camp. The volunteer system cost £196,354; from this amount he ought, probably,

to deduct the coßt of Defence Cadets, Defence Rifle Clubs and of the Permanent Artillery. The efficiency of the volunteer force was measured by the four days* Easter encampment. Every two years 6,000 men who had attained that efficiency returned to private life, and for 3,000 per annum the taxpayers paid £196,000. or £6a per man per annum.

The men who passed out of the force yearly into civil life constituted the great reserve to which the country would looic for its defence. He explained that the reason for the reduction of the 13,000 men on whom capitation was paid to 6,0001 was, that improved weapons and altered military conditions necessitated more work in the field than was the ':ase previously. As aeonsequence many men could not get the necessary leave to attend the field operations. Could they do away with those conditions by im-*> proving the volunteer system? A system was required that would enable a man to get away for ir*struction with the force to which lie belonged, and a system that did not put the man at the mercy of his employer. An employer who had many employees in the force where continually asked by them for leave. when a vacancy occurred usually asked applicants if they belonged to the force, ar.d gave preference to those who did not. The system adopted should prevent an employer taking that advantage of the men, and would allow the men to'get the time away as a right, and not as a privilege. Ihe speaker then quoted the remarks of ■ the Inspector-General regarding the standard of efficiency attained by the various units of the New Zealand volunteer force. The speaker mentioned that the New Zealand garrison artillery was superior to any other volunteer artillery in the British Empire. (Applause). H® showed that the reason for the high efficiency of this section was that they could do their work at the same place and did not require to dc field work. It had been pointed out, however, that if war did break out there were not enough men to eyea man the guns.

Continuing, Mr McNab referred at some length to j.the system of defence adopted in late years ty Switzerland and Norway, and the enthusiasm displayed by the people of those countries in military training matters. He was not advocating the conscription as prevailed iu Germany. His contention was that it should be the duty and afterwards the privilege of every man torn in the country, when lie reached a cer tain age, to train himself tor its defence.

The speaker quoted figures to show that the nation physically was deterioiatiag, and laid stress on the importance of physical development-. Compulsory training would greatly assist the msn of the Empire, «• .-

the beneficial results in this direction would soon be apparent. In oth countries the average physique of the country was equal to that of ha army owing to their system, lufc under the system ot enlist) ent in England it could not be sail, un "the flower of the country was goL g into the army."

A deputation had waited on tie Premier in Christchurch, arguing that the factories could not shut up for a month. No one asked for that. The industries of other countries were not shut up by their defence systems. The improvement of the pbyi sique of the men would enable them t© be better competitors in trade. Th© work that men did was not represented by their hours of labour."As to the cost of a system of sory training, the speaker referred! to the Australian scheme, which provides for the training of males. commencing at 10 years of age ar.d continuing till 20 years of age. He did not, he said, suggest such a scheme; he suggested a minimum of three years training, and a maximum of five years. Expert authorities admitted that one year's compulsory service would turn out better men than the present system, and that 10,000 per annum could be turned out, and they would not cost anything like what was being paid at present.

Referring to rifle scooting and its value, the speaker made some eulogistic remarks on the splendid work done by the local rifle shots. In his concluding remarks Mr McNab said, he had a letter appearing in the Wairarapa Age of that morning by a person who seemed rather concerned as to what would be the position under the universal military training system in reference to the man with a large family and the rich bachelor.

is reply to that query was that he would "compel the rich bachelor £<s- - intG tiie ranks and protect thei£ family." (Laughter and applause). The Mayor said they were deeply indebted to Mr MeNab for the intellectual trfat he Jhad given, them that evening. (Applause). He then moved the following motion, which had been handed to him: —"That no system of national defence wil! be adequate which does not provide for universal military training, and a copy of this to be forwarded to Premier." Mr R. Brown said he had much pleasure in seconding the motion." As Mr McNab had said they had the right materal la New Zealand, but not the right system"?

The motion was carried unanimously. Mr W. H. Jackson moved:—"That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded Mr McNab for his address." The speaker said that Mr McNab was doing a noble work in endeavouring' to arouse the country on the question of universal military training. There was no grander thing than the defence of "hearth and home." (Applause).

Mr J. D. Cruickshank seconded the motion, and referred to thej lucid address given by Mr McNahb. The proDeedings then closed with hearty cheers for Mr McNab.