MR. FISHER;AND THE' DEFENCE QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 525, 4 June 1909, Page 8

MR. FISHER;AND THE' DEFENCE QUESTION.

V;;Sir,—Having read' Mr.; Fisher's, M.P., ; opus, under the heading of: 'the; Defence Question, in.your, columns/.''Carolus 11 fails to'.see'.how the Waitings at.the side.of the •'grave'' of the. volunteer' system can help, to 1 revive: the. corps. ; One of the means Mi'. Fisher, suggests to awaken it to . full life and, vigour,, is.to;havo alongsido ; it, a : 'sort of'. Military, Burnham School establishment; ,iri. tho'way of'..a; compulsory camp for , re-, iractory volunteers.;. His'ideas, are, :•'to'. my way of thinking,- puerile; and he'must [ have : fßrgotteni ■.or never.. heatd; the 'old/maxim, "Noitner do, mon. .put .'now -wine> into old bottles.",: ■■'; : -:-''. i '\\--".fi. ■'"; '■'■.:-;. r .-:'-.".;. .'-. :';'/.:. ::'. /A' point' admitted ■'by ; : Mr.: Fisher, in 'his letter, js, -unfortunately fbr'tho old system, top well' known,' viz.,. the inefficiency ; of. the ajerage/volunteer' officer. ' Mr. Fish'er-.pro : . < poses to ■ ■ make' him efficient' by orally and theoretically -examining him' .once a. year: :H6w, ridiculous I i.To examine him 1 , about what?.. .His , inpfficichcy I . Vis c a'.barrister dragged forth to ho.examined'once a,year,as to';his efficiency in. his profession? The un> fortunate; part' of/it is, ! that : the military profession, /represented; by :'a,.few, imported; individuals, ■is non-existent Now! Zealand,' an'd;yet,it is'as much a profession or ,trade;as; most :oth'er,,'.whero r ,leaders. or foremen are required. It takes, I say, ; un-; reservedly, years, of .daily training and diligent: study to produce; an; efficient officer for : a;TosponsiblOiPOsition, and an effective' train.irig, of .others'. : Mr. 'Fisher has a' notion-of, this fact, for, further on,;in his-epistlo, he' says: "Pfficers'and.non-conimissioned, offii cers.must bo imported' from- home.. in considerable numbers.". '''' 'Z^x- "■'•■: '■''■:■:-■:'>'■■■■>■■:

.-;Thb' figure'of; 150,000 traine'd':men' will.not be. reached for some , time,"'ind then only by .'introducing-'; universal,'; training; and byhhyihg -at least! three lines, and 'a l , reserve, embracing ■ age-classes! up to, 5ay,..45 yearß of. ago; - L sincerely^hopq.;jth&t \ such! force/,, or forces shall)", in: duo ..course of .time,--.b'e bffi-* |-.cered,:;frpm.;;lieutenant ■ upwards, by; New. 'Zealand-bred;men, turned out by,; a. New Zealand 'Naval - and' Military College,' 'instituted on iabsolutely democratic* lines, open-.tb any, suitable aspirant by competitive Vexamination, on entering and obtaining Any • volunteer,'officer of: approved'efficiency) when the change does take place,; should be ottered; appointments /in the reserve. ■..-.■•■'"; / I'iThe home .supply, of. officers will, of necessity^,have to.bo drawn upon during the, first ifew'years, to' provide officers, -but their. i'numbers could be greatly' limited by so arranging the dates of training of .'the recruits' i, in the various military-.districts,; 'that •', that, corps of officers would be, so to say, ambulatory. s ßy !so doing,-' thbso entrusted.' with the-training'operations, would riot, find their 'posts mere sinecures,-: .but.,: that .fair work would-bo,expected for': fair: pay. - ; ' "■ , ]: /It. will,'j be, interesting -.to see .how .many! 'days. in' : camp, the!first, 'second/ and third : years drafts; will vbe allotted; by : Parliament,' for. on that subject:- opinions• will bo 1 very' ' much :divided;•' One' month in .any one! of '. the threo years, I, cbnsidor, ample, - for. 1 have seen almost; hopeless-looking specimens of .young follows: being, turned, but /in., .fine military trim after 30 days in camp. V •' '-.I: have, just 'one thing to add,-- and'that is, regarding Mr. -Fisher's remark as to the '.cost .which the country, would jncnr, should .universal military training be adopted by Parliament., It may look'big, and frighten many,, but,' from-a national : point of view,for only that'portion, which would be-voted for arms (guns) that could not be-'manufac-tured in, New. Zealand, would go out of the Dominion, but, even! with, regard to/such items, V : there! is the satisfaction!i that the money would find its way;..to the British ..workers';; pockets .at home.; .The estimated time to the country, the.bnly,.actual loss in this connection, would be'iihore than compensated :by, /the, gain in" the genera] physique,'stamina, and, moral strength of our young: nation.—l am,' : etc., ''..^ ;: '-„' : ,■'"'," '"■■''.'' -^'X';CAROLUS.' v ;r June -2.-.. ;.' : .-'.!..-'•■ : ' .'■'■■■': ■ ■>:■ <V