THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1909. A RATION IN ARMS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9663, 30 November 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1909. A RATION IN ARMS.

Germany has been described as a nation in arms, and it appears as though the "Britain of the South" ) would speedily develop Snto a miniature Germany. In passing it is, perhaps, worth while remarking that a great deal of commercial success, and the strongly developed sentiment of patriotism with which the people are imbt»ed. is attributable in no small measure to the habits of discipline, self-reliance and selfrespect, which military training has produced. For some years past the question of internal defence has been one of absorbing interest to many persons in New Zealand, but despite the patriotic efforts of volunteers, who have performed national work of no inconsiderable va>lue,* >rt has been recognised by these who have carefully Btudied the defence question in all its bearings, that the success of the volunteer msvement was insufficient to provide that degree of national safety which the importance of this country and the number of its inhabitants imperatively demanded. Various proposals have been put forward, and among the numfoer were comprised suggestions iinvolving compulsory training. At first the compulsory training proposition was subjected to a good deal of criticism of an adverse character, but the j National Defence League has fought a good fight, and there is now every i reason to hope that the compulsory training proposal, in the most modified form in which it has been put forward, will be the subject of legislative enactment Sir Joseph Ward has in the Budget spoken with no uncertain sound, and it is more than pleasing to realis9 that the Premier is both a courageous statesman and a patriot. It will be remembered ! that it was declared in the Budget 1 that the fime had now arrived when a definite course must be taken with a view of placing the home defence of the Dominion upon a more satisfactory footing. To attain this end it is the opinion of the Premier that the existing ddence systems must undergo a complete reorganisati n. The Premier Ypropoeals are designed

to provide an active trained force for i any emergency consisting of coast I and garrison defence. Mobile forcts of all arras will be so arranged that should the Dominion be required to '

supply an expeditionary force suitable for service oversea, it can be promptly sent without any dislocation of our own defences. The advisability of establishing a forca suitable for expeditionary purposes has been pointed out from time to time by those who are competent to express an opinion. It may be remembered that Captain Colomb, at the Navy League banquet held in Masterton last winter, advocated something of the kind. The Premier's proposals involve that all boys between the ages of twelve and eighteen shall undergo elementary

and progressive training either in a junior or senior cadet division: boys under the former age will undergo physical training only. All young men, except those physically unfit, between the years of eighteen and twenty-one will undergo two years' compulsory training. Ihis training will be on stated evenings and on half and whole days during the year. In addition, there will be training for fourteen days in each year in training camp. As a further part of the proposed scheme, an active force will be organised consisting of 20,000 of all ranks, composed of men between the ages of eighteen and thirty who choose to join voluntarily. This force will be organised on Imperial lines as to arms, equipment, establishment and training. After these men have completed their services, they will pass to a reserve. In the event of such a force not being equipped in point of. numbers by voluntarily enlisting, a selection will be made from those undergoing the compulsory training above outlined to make up the total. This active force will be established on March Ist next in the larger centres of population only. The mounted rifles in the country will, however, be included. As the staff instructors gain experience, and as material and equipment are available, the schetne will be extended beyond the larger centres to the outlying districts ot the Dominion. The compulsory training tor the junior and senior cadets and for young men between eighteen and twentyone will commence as soon as the requisite registration can be completed. The Premier ieels that the useful services of rifle clubs should not bo lost to the Dominion, and the continuance and formation of these will be encouraged in every way. All those exempt from service in tnese forces and those who shall have completed their services may join the rifle clubs. It is not proposed that. those undergoing compulsory military training shall be provided with uniform. Their training will take place in ordinary civilian dress. The whole programme appears to us to be entirely what is wanted, and it is, practically, what we have advocated again and again. That those exempt from service in the different forces should be allowed tu join rifle clubs is a much needed amendment, and the sound common-sense of the Premier in proposing that those who are compulsorily trained should not be provided with a uniform is quite refreshing, and most surprising in comparison with the extravagant methods frequently adopted by the Government. It is possible, of course, that the House may not agiee to all the Premier wants, but we trust that no important part of the programme will be rejected.