NATIONAL DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 June 1938, Page 8

NATIONAL DEFENCE

1 VIEWS OF OTAGO FARMERS’ PRESIDENT NECESSITY OF SUPPORTING BRITAIN. BEST WAY OF SAFEGUARDING PEACE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, June 7. The need for national preparedness for emergency, even if it involves the adoption of a system of compulsory military training, was emphasised by Mr R. H. Michelle, in his presidential address to the Otago provincial conference of the Farmers’ Union today. Reference was also made to the subject by the Minister of Defence, the Hon F. Jones, who opened the conference.

The Minister said it was not the intention of the Government to institute compulsory military training because it was considered unnecessary in the Dominion. He suggested that before farmers demanded that such a step be taken they should consider carefully what the Government had already done and what it proposed to do. Mr Michelle said that they as farmers could not close their eyes to certain facts which had to faced. For instance, it was most unlikely that Britain would be able to keep out of a major war if and when war came, and events of the last few weeks served to show just how grave the position really was. They ought to be profoundly thankful that the British Government was fully alive to the situation. In effect, the British official attitude was that, pending a better understanding between nations, the only way to keep predatory nations from making war was for countries like Britain to be so strong that they could enforce sanctions or such other collective mea-

sures which might be decided upon against an aggressor nation. Britain was now making tremendous efforts to build up her army, navy and air force. What part was New Zealand playing? “It seems to me," he said, “that the least we can do by way oc a contribution is to see that the young men of this country are fit and that in the event of their being called upon, they are adequately trained for the part they may have to play. This may mean a system of compulsory training. If Britain is making sacrifices it is up to this country to make sacrifices too if by doing so we can avert that greatest catastrophe of all —war.” Mr Jones, referring to defence matters in his opening address to The conference, said he noticed that the conference remits included one urging the adoption of compulsory military training for youths between 17 and 21. He hoped that when they were discussing this subject close examination would be made of what had been done. Compulsory military service had not been adopted in England cr in Australia and it was not considered necessary in New Zealand. He would like to mention, however, that there had been an influx of recruits in recent months, and he suggested that the proposed publicity to stimulate recruiting would result in even greater interest. All he would ask them at that stage was carefully to study what had already been done when considering remits dealing with the subject. He could, however, say quite definitely that it was not the intention of the Government to institute any compulsory system at present, the reason being that the Government believed it could achieve more by the development of the voluntary system.