COLONIAL DEFENCE. (From the Nelson Colonist.)

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 149, 22 April 1873, Page 2

COLONIAL DEFENCE. (From the Nelson Colonist.)

Thk Press in destined to occupy a position continually increasing in importance, and to exercise a power over the formation of public opinion, compared with which, its present influence is but slight ; it is, therefore, desirable that a true theory (if its duties, responsibilties, and field of action, should be clearly expressed, or, at any rate, that it should not be fettered by the application of erroneoustests and arbitrary principles. The Press has no political functions ; it worki out the end it has in view by argument and discustion, and being perfectly unconnected, with administrative or executive duties, may and must roam at will over topics which men of political action dare not touch This is the reason why, notwithstanding theinterest which is now given to matters connected with the recent Ministerial crisis, it is our right as well as our duty, to call the attention of our readers to the question of the military organisation of our Colony. The presence in our midst, of the Representatives of the New Zealand. Militia and Volunteers on the occasion of the Colonial prize- firing, is highly suggestive of cogent reflections on the subject, and affords an opportunity to give expression to them. In the first place, we are thankful for Mr McLeans " sugar and blanket policy," to which we owe the state of peace we now enjoy, and by the means of which our industry, agriculture, and commercial, as well as our financial credit on the London money market, have been making such wonderful progress for the past three years ; but the time has not yet arrived, when we may with safety, abandon our defence policy. If war is at an end, the Colony isspending far too much for the maintenance of the volunteer force. But if war is not at an end, then the Colonyis very much behind hand in its means of defence, Another native war, even as things stand — we allude to the position kept until now by Tawhaio— is not probable, and it grows less probable every day, but this is not * sufficient reason to discard our system of military protection. Si vis paean, para helium ! The doctrine of self-defence must bo kepfc active, but it is of the highest consequence that none of the expenditure— and it is rather considerable, some £24,000 sterling — is thrown away or misapplied. All that is requii ed could be done with our existing estimates, if thcfunds were properly appropriated. We believe th»t we possess a few volunteer corps in the Colony who can bear comparison, as to efficiency, with any body of like men in Em ope. But in general, the country district volunteer* ate not sufficiently drilled, as they meet only twelve times, in the year for parade"; and if the drill instructor happens to be unavoidably detained, or the weather is unfavorable, then the men are dismissed without having done anything except; answering to their names. We speak from personal experience, and we are convinced that, altogether, the number of hours really employed in drill, is not above eight in the whole year. What result can be oxpected under these circumstances 1 Every man in New Zealand should be made familiar wtfcVj the use of firo-arni9 and know the place whore he is expected to be found by his loaders, at the hour of danger. Wow ould not, recommend the adoption in toto of the Prussian sjstem of military organisation, though it is admirableenough, because the circumstances of our adopted country ure not such as would allow its practicability ; but we think thnt i\ re-organisation of our forces in analogy with either the Prussian or the SwUs systems of defenco has become an imperative desideratum. The striking principle of both systems consists in tins, that military instruction is rcceired nolens voleiit by all the young men in the country, and completed before tlioy attain the age of 20. If this was done in. our schools, and there could bo no better place, it Mould become unnecessary to train mon, as is now done, at so costly a price, and so nnsatisfaetorv a result. Nothing could beeasier than to make a re-partition of the able-bodied men of the. colony m hii active and reserve lmlitin, and afterwards in Lundnchr. But a well-selected permanent staff who should tnke in hund tlie special instruction of the oificers, and tin* frequent and careful inspection of the cadets, ought to bo at the head of tho whole iUslem. We repeat that, after having given tho subject most careful consideration, tho composition of a proper permanent staff Mould constitute the most valuable i lenient of success toward the organisation wo now recommend. It might be a-ked what will become of the volunteers ? The answer is that the volunteer* Mould bo exclusively composed of marksmen and of aspirant marksmen, who would receive ns much cncournjjoincnt as is now offered them, and one of the inodt noble and patriotic impulses a country cm receive, would carrj with it a truer aim to the accomplishment of tho motto of tho veteran statesman and volunteer. Lord Palmerston— defenco not defiance

Yankkb Epitukts — Tho Nrto York Herald quotes a list of the alia*™ applied bv its contemporaries to President Gr.uit and to Mr Greeley during the past six mouths. Tho list is ft curious ouo, and certainly deserves rebuko. Here it j g Qreeleif : Atheist, Deist, common Unr, secessionist, southern sympathiser, God-dofior, Communist, brown bread eali'f, robber. Grant. Drunkard, loafer, bull-pup, swindler* treasury plunderer, horse joekev, beast, ignoramus, whisky c.i»k. " The people," says the Herald, " have repudiated an Atheist, Deist, liar, robber, and traitor, to embrace a drunkard, loafer, swindler, and beast. What madneu led them to prefer one to the other? What fiond inspired three t»«>piil-»" convention^ tj force upon the nation a choice of c iIh?"