DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 43, 19 February 1908, Page 8

DEFENCE.

(To the Editor.) j Sir, —A good deal is said at times about this, but it seems to mc without any very definite idea of what we are called upon to do as now part of the political world. The truest test would, of course, be what we should do, or outlay, if we were not sheltered under Great Britain's wings, but that is impossible to state, because unless under guarantee of a Power such as Great Britain, there would be no necessity for us to speak of defence ; it would be so utterly useless. Instead of our being any assistance to Great Britain, so far as I can see, we are merely a weakness, and also a continued thorn in her side by reason partly of the weakness of our position as to defence, and because we are more or less continuously creating problems of difficulty with other nations with which she has no concern individually as an interested party, and without ius would have no need to trouble nor consider at all. Looking, therefore, at our isolation, great coastline and general weakness of position, the question of what a reasonable system of defence should cost us must only be approximate at what that is, based on an average of other nations, and as it appears to mc, assessed at per head. Thus based it would run out at the present at least; one million to be divided between our localised outlays and payment to Great Britain, for as we insist upon our position as a nation, we must also accept the responsibility. When we read about the heavy taxation, and smaller earnings of so many in the Mother Country, acting as we do, surely it is time we accepted the burden, and shouldered it fairly, and did not longer go on as we are, accepting all we can get, giving as little as we can, and genially acting as sturdy beggars -I am, etc., L CLARE -