THE OTHER SIDE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 534, 15 June 1909, Page 8

THE OTHER SIDE.

COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAININC

• OPPONENTS HOLD A MEETING;, / . :'' LIVELY PROCEEDINGS. ■'.■.-'A- meeting;called by. tho opponents of tho moveniont to:introduce, compulsory military training was hold in the Concert Chambor of tli©: Town Hall last Evening. All present were not of one mind, however, and a section of :: tho crowded -audience-' interrupted vigorously, regardless of. the rufes : which are supposed to:bo.observed 1 at public meetings.' i . The- Mayor (Dr. 'Newman) presided. Ho said.that, as.many-enthusiastic meetings in support'.of"compulsory , military had been helcl, it' was good, from an educational point of.'view, tihat'ttao. views of the other side' should : be ; heard/,, ,' by Mr. ! M'Laren. . ;.; ' Mr/ ; D. M'Lairen, ,MJ?., opened .with tho announcement that lie was not going to deal with his' Subject on tha lines of passionate enthusiasm. Hβ ■ moved the following /resolution:-- •'.■.■ ■■-• ■■■•;;. :.-' '■:•,.:■■'.:•■:■; ■•" ; :, That;this : meeting. ia of : opinion: that -.' ' there is; nothing in: connection with the v defence of New Zealand to justify tho / attack now being made on the principle • .'"of voluntary service, and is opposed to ■_any,,' system -of; ■, compulsory, militaryV'training,, inaemuchas/.the same'i3 bud- ' rersivo of oiery principle of-free citizen- ' ■: ■■.ehip.-v^i '■.<'; ■•;. >'■ ';■■■'.;..■■..:■■.• '■■■■■.■}_ :. A voice: Rot. (Applause.) v. • ' ' Another voice: .It.is rot. (Renewed applause.)' !'"''. . ; '-: •;■ • ': . ' ■ '.'"The statement; of: an ex-Minister for Do-, fence,"-'con tinned Mr:. M'Laren. ."that we laro standing by tho graveside of the.volunr teer , movement is .the most effective, attack on his own administration and the administratiori of ..the. Government.'he'wae connected ivith that I. have ever listened .to."; (Ap-. plause.).: "' : v'-':•...■.-"■:■. '.„■,, ■'■■■'■■'■ A voice:. Did you ever carry a nflor. : : .:.\ r. Mr. M'Laren: No, but I would, sir, if ever I bad; the opportunity of meeting you. (Laughter.y _. • ... . :, r . .-,:■ , ; ■.' ■■ was' an-' incorrect assumption, 1 contmued ; Mr. M'Laren, that all ; who were called'upon to ..defend ,their ::cbuniry would be shooting the enemy, and, although, tnrongh defeotive eyesight ho' might, not <] be able to, - hit a hay-stack^-O'^ig^l') —he .had carried out his full share: of ..citizenship; .'., :._:.. '.. T ■■: ■,-:;■';'■ ■A maiiVin 'front:'l don't.', think-so. .''■•■ •..-:_'' : .-.;lt was ; ,not : a.feeling of personal fear, said Mr.'.-.M'Laren, that made.them■.oppose.'.the proposal; fit'was-the'belief., that the principles of the scheme were detrimental to the best interests of tho people as a whole. (Applause;)' ;. The compulsory element had had .a' destructive effect on".'trades'unionism. De-legates'-of the"'unions had stated 'that .they wore/not, prepared to , recognisd- tho proposals of tiie-.National Defenco League (Auckland), ■one of whose "objecte" was the introduction. ;of licenses-for waterside workers. i-.Was not that a' direct attack on: the liberties of the' people? One of -the' principal purposes of tho mbveinent was .to.discourage tho w-orkere■ fromobnsiderntion'of the k great econoniic.and social problems. This was the view .he had oxpreswd .as;'a'member",of Parliament.." ;; . :'■••.' A voice: You.are not fit .to be-a.member : 6f Parliament.,,.;- .:,\ -.;, ; . .:..' : r .': ~! ■ Mr. M'Laren replied ,tfaat if the people of ■Wellington' East fobjected to; a_ frank, express sion of his vioTCS," they might jnst get some- ) body else. -(Applause.) •'., : ; :..'. -. : i:,"Conscription, it has been.said, is only anovil'in that 'it draws men away, from their ■'irdiriary' life/'he went on, '-"and places them in camp Hre can'!hay« compulsion, on our people, which will, destroy their effective citizenship^ , ri\ ;£imej: ; if the .proposals, now being made wore followed out, and the people had :got into/the. habit of waving flags, then thoy. would have'a'citizenship, which ambitious statesmen could play upon whenever they pleased. ; (Applause.) ■ The coptry had gone';military^ .mad.- (Applause.) They ; weJS'throwing? Breadnonghts over, the tea, 'anfl I -'' l rdShing , -mto without; the slightest consideratibn of the liberties of iho people He'felt that he imist voice m. Btroiig-'.; aiid- indignant .terms hig iihis attempt to iptrodtico a spirit of military enthusiasm, which, after all, took tho lino of pngoism. (Applause) Mr. O'Rogan Seconds tho Resolution.

Mr. ; 'P.' , J.' ,! /'Q'RegaiL".Beconde<i. the .resolution; rHeiremirkod ;that' the "attendances at theVfivo' meetiiigs .of tte supporters of_ the scheme .(an''aggregator of must _ have dulyimpressed-the Prime Minister. Although the high priest of'this agitation,'. Mr. M'Nab —(three: cheers'wore here given for Mr. aiiaember.-of Parliament for '15 years two and a half years'as Minister ,for; f, Defence,- it-was only recently.- thit' ; .!he '_'.-, had discovered that the volunteer- system -.was. dead. Hβ : (the speaker^; told .that.' the agitation w,asrbeing, takeV v ni>;byythoae.who were 'in searijhV.bf :emplpyment, v by people who desired :to prevent,. the : Government ..from bringing its retrenchment.policy to the Augean, stable of- the, Defence , ; Department., > (Applause.) Mr.; O'Regan:referred to what he termed "coarse- and vituperative attacks of • the newspapers,", arid 'spoke of ' the attitude taken:.u'pby : the press in regard to the Blackball strike. "Now," he added, "there is'another; thing I, want to draw your -at-' The 'advocates, of this movement should .work out their scheme without being 'dragooned by' officers -of the Defence Department."' ,, (Prolonged cheering, and ::.;:■,-;' .. -,. ""'■:■'. i'Why don't you ;l join tho volunteers?" asked'an; opponent;ivyou would make a fine -(Langiiter.) , • ,:- '• '' Mr: Mr. Allen and Mr. Massey proposed that the scheme should ;be discussed . in Parliament •; this 'session, when.other matters were demanding attention. f'lf'Hhe scheme -were submitted to' a

.plebiscite' of the'i-people, they: would show, in. the most"convincing -manner/ what their wishes were. ,c,They might - bo risking popularity arid personal advantage by taking .up a 'stand against. the ■! proposal,' ; but • they would still do soi'iri spite of the;newspapers;. in spitd ■ o£ - -tlie' College Cadets, and in spite 'of the contemptuous tossing of merry widow hats at afternoon teas.' :(Applause.). .'■.■'.-'• ' •': : s - : : ; : Other Speakers.;- ■ s.'Mr. "W; Young,. Secretary' of 'the' Seamen's pnioii, asserted that the promoters of the movement were a few of the volunteer officers—(Cries ;6f\ "No")—and -their, leader was a volunteer' officer. ,The Government had not said a word in favour of the scheme, and, surely, if; the change were, necessary, the Government 'should say so. The' idea had come from: capitalists in ' New Zealand, •and .was intended t6 smother, up.the hostile, feelings of! the people in regard to. tho "un-. constitutional Dreadnought offer." ; (ApV :• ; ■-.-' , .. .. . : 'fhe speaker'was'here interrupted by cries of: "We want Hogg,", and ".Time." Pea whistles and yawns were also much '• in.evidence. ' ■'.- -. :'•'... •■' .... :.■.•.; ."■' ;■ \" . .-"' '.;|'-!-.| Mr.. Robert Hogg was received with cheers;,- Ho eaid that he. had no-objection to compulsory -training on the ground of expense If, however, they could have it' for nothing, but' deemed it undesirable, they should strenuously oppose it. ilany British workmen were'.killed annually to mako profit for the capitalist. '■'". ■'"'.. ■ . ■'-. .: A voiuntcor: Good gracious. '(Laughter.)

Sosnuiing,' Mr. ■'" Hogg deprecated .tho action of Now Zealand in Bending young men. to South Africa. a few years for! the glory of England, and to mate jobs for the-■ Chinamen: :, :■ (liaughter and applause.) Ho caino ; forward as. a revolutionary Socialist, and, 'hebelieved a■•'.'.-revolution would oorao. ' (Applause and hoots.) It might bo a peaceful would, try to make it such. ■''■. :■' .■:■■.',',■;;•,.■ .. . '.-■ •.- ■ ;

A Toioo: Oh, thank you! ■; ' An attempt to.raise a point of order,was hoioinacle, and a,monotonous cry. of "Chair", elfectually drowned tbo speaker's voice. The Suestioh. from 'tho audience- was inaudible in bb.din, and,''no ; sooner had tho questioner sat down than "o man nwo and exhorted ono of ■ tho constables to romoyfl tho interrupter.' "John Brown's Body" was next sung, as a, chorus, and a section proceeded to chant, in quick timo, "Sit down, Hopg." ./Three-cheers, for. Mr. Hogg wore given with vigour, and, after .an unsuccessful at tempt had been made, to propose an aineuil; raont,-the motioiiwas carried on a show o'J hiada, ?mif| load cheats ' .