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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3210, 9 June 1909, Page 4

Mr R. McNab appears to have timed his crusade most happily. He .has so far been greeted with most enthusiastic meetings, and this fact must be accepted as indicating that there is a widespread feeling in favour of compulsory training, or, in other words, the establishing of a sound system of national defence. For long enough—far too long for that matter —the New Zealand Government has played with the question of defence; it will now have to take up the work in earnest. The receptions accorded to Mr McNab are particularly significant,especially when one considers that to talk of expenditure on defence in a time of depression would not appear to be a highly popular topic for oratory. But national honour is rapidly becoming a deeply rooted sentiment in the hearts of New Zealanders, and any self, sacrifice that is necessary to secure, as effective a system of defence as we can possibly have, will be gladly borne. When such a movement is in progress we are, of course, certain to hear in some quarters of the horrors of war, and of all the abominations of which war is productive, at the same time it is worth while remembering that when men are not prepared to make efforts to defend their country the day when a conquering foe will take possession is not far off. If there is one lesson mort than any other which history teaches it is that while a nation is capable of fighitng ita prospects of honourable existence are more than likely; when it becomes wealthy, and its soldiers feeble, or relies upon some other country to defend it, or employs mercenaries to do its fighting the hour of downfall is near at hand.