COLONEL DAVIES AND THE VOLUNTEERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 252, 22 October 1907, Page 2

COLONEL DAVIES AND THE VOLUNTEERS.

... - (To" "the Editor.) ' Sir,—ln the" "Star" of ~the 18th inst. ii defence is attempted by your correspondent "Volunteer' , of the insulting and unwarranted epithet of '.'weeds" applied recently by Colonel Davies ..at. .Christchurch to the members of, the New Zealand volunteer force. The apologist, who seems to speak as one possessing detailed knowledge of what Colonel Davies intendea to say, but did not, only very thinly. conceals tlie identity of a volunteer officer who was generally recognised to the "Eidus Acnates" of Colonel Davies, while the latter was commanding the forces in this district. I therefore am not tinfair in assuming that the defence put forward is that which Colonel Davies would himself submit if called upon to explain or justify his extraordinary utterance. • 'Now -what is the defence? Simply this, that Colonel Davies did not apply the term "weeds" to the New Zealand volunteers alone, but that he (Colonel Davies) was at fche time "thinking and talking Imperially." Ye gods! Then the insult -was applied to the whole forces of the Empire. Not only are the New Zealand volunteers "weeds"—according to Colonel Davies —but-.the regular army of Great Britain is alsb composed of "weeds," and so, presumably, are the Indian army and the Canadian and Australian forces. If this is not Colonel Davies' meaning, then he may well say, in reference to "Volunteer's" explanation, "Save mc from my friends." Even if I thought Colonel Davies ever indulged in "thinking imperially," as Cecil Rhodes advised us all to do, I would rather have supposed that at the time he was guilty of the blazing indiscretion to which I called attention, he was not thinking at all —Imperially or otherwise —and that his utterance was a thoughtless one. But we are tcid he really was thinking at the time, and thinking "Imperially" too. Let those who saw "Tommy Atkins" in the recent 'Boer war, toiling dauntlcssly across the open veldt in the face of a Hidden" foe, while his comrades dropped silently arid apparently causelessly at his side, testify whether the British private is a "weed." The German military attaches —than -whom there can be no better judges—said in official reports that the discipline and valour of the British troops under new and trying conditions had never been excelled. Were the Canadians who secured Cronje's surrender at Paardeberg "weeds"? It is unnecessary to refer to further episodes in recent, history to repel a charge which is sp palpably.baseless. The assurance of "Volunteer," however, that, in referring to the "weeds," Colonel Davies was "talking Imperially," is not borne out by the awount of the latter's speech in the Christchurch papers. It is obvious that Qolonel Davies was advocating for New Zealand universal military service, and that he plainly stated that it only by such a system that we should obtain the "flower" of New Zealand's manhood and not the I; wceds." "Volun.7 teer , '- makes a further : defence of Colonel Davies by quoting a paragraph that Colonel Da-vies had previously written, commending tits volunteers. Surely such a defence i 5 ;- very lame one. The fact that a person spoke sensibly on one occasion is no justification for his speaking unjustifiabJ- on another occasion. I am not concerned with analysing Colonel Davies' peculiar ideas, on the volunteer force.of the Dominion. ( What I haye criticised, and. condemned was a specific allegation used apparently to support the demand for universal military service in New Zealand.- ".Volunteer" says this is my third "attack" on Colonel Davies. Youx-correspondent- Jias ,a fertile .imagination.: I . hayp never, hitherto spoken or wr\ x .ten .publicly.either for or against ColontV Davies. Whether Colonel Davies wav a success or failure in Auckland is a matter upon which a difference of opinion prevails. Instead of suggesting a private motive for my actioji in criticising the acts of. a public servant it would liave. been, bettcf, ior, "Volunteer" to endeavour moro eCectively to answer the' criticisms which I maintain have been properly levelled at his military friend for a grave imprudence of speech. —I am, etc., W. J. NAPIER. October 19, 1907.