NEW ZEALAND ANTIMILITARISTS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14659, 7 May 1913, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND ANTIMILITARISTS.

SOME IRISH AJSTD ECCLESIASTIOAL OPINION.

" fFEOM OUR OWN COnRESroSDEIfT)/ IX>NDON, March 28.

• Mr Gerald Dee, of "Wellington, sends to the "Irish Catholic" a long letter on. the "military tyranny" in Now Zealand. After patiently printing more than a column of type, the editor remarks, facetiously:' "The spirit which Mr Deo describes as that of the* free New" Zealanders is scarcely one M^ th which many Irishmen, or Irish youths are likely to sympathise. The existing Homo Rule Government of New Zealand may be as tyrannical as Mr Deo asserts, out it is, at least, betted than any which would be created by a pagan Japanese invasion, The native army which it is songht to create wcmld bo a valuable safeguard of the constitutional liberties of the people and Parliament of New Zealand against any possible.act of aggression on the part of Great Britain. At the same time, Mr Dee, as a representative New Zealander, and a reader of tho 'Irish .Catholic,' haa an undoubted right'to'.bo heard." At tho same moment comes out tho "Nineteenth Century," tn which Cardinal Bourne has a strong article on national service. He says:—"Alight it not bo enacted that every male mem- • her of the community should, by th«» time he is 21, have rendered himfelf efficient in certain departments of military training? If, he has fa : led to tsko the means to make himself efficient, ' neither ho nor anyone elsewould have legitimate grounds of complaint were he thon compelled to go into barracks" until such time as, by compulsion, be had Ijppu raised to at least tho same standard of efficiency as his more patriotic and foreseeing fellows."