NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12975, 30 November 1907, Page 10

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

. COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING.

Captain McNaught, organiser of the National Defonco League, delivered an interesting lecture in the City Hall last night on national defence. He strongly advocated tho compulsory military training of all youths between the age of 17 and 21 years, stating that the Cabinet, the members of tho Defonco Council, two-thirds of t-ne mem-bora of tho Lower House, tflie Bishops, the various echoolmastere, and the Farmers' Union, wero strongly in favour of the system. The National Defence League, he said, aimed -at tho physical training of youths, the establishment of riflo clubs, and everything that would tend towards tho defence of tho country in time of war. Tho question of defence was being sadly neglected, and the nowspapore were devoting columns and columns of spnoo to fcfatiball and other sports, wbilo the importance of defence was being thrown on ono sido. There was too much hero worship in New Zealand, aud the young men of tho Doniinifm were too fond of sport, this being greatly to tho detriment of the more serious question. No man could predict when this country might be plunged in war, and it behoved everyone -o bo competent to assist his -.ytmtry in time of need. New Zealand was spending far too much on the volunteering movement, and the systom wits extremely unsatisfactory. The Dominion was one of tho most important mrtpostvs of the British Empire, and thero was no letter flag than tho British to serve under. Tho great weakness of the present volunteer system was that there was too big a gap between the time the boys left school and the age at which they could join tho volunteer force. The employers of laliour were 6tuinb]ing-blocks, and did not encourage volunteering. The movement for compulsory military training had not received the support i_ N ~?" . Zc *? lftU 'l that it merited, but tho Christchurch peoplo were most apnthotic in the matter. In conclusion, Captain McNaught urged .his listeners to support and encourage the National Defence League's project to their utmost, for if the public supported tho movement the Government would also take it in hand. After a hearty vote of thanks to tho lecturer, a branch of the National Defence League was inaugurated, on the motion of Mr R. McLaren, seconded by Lieu-fc.-Cokmel Snow.