COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 534, 15 June 1909, Page 9

COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING

SPLENDID: RAW "MATERIAL,

; .i: tßT.TELi!GU*ru—si , ict»L.i:oi'.h(!i:rorinsin'r , >■• .-'. .-' : -; ■■■::'; ' !i "^ -O-V'-^/' Napier;.;june ; l4.- r ~ Oho of the most striking speeches; at h ; ...meeting.hold here in-;support of compulsory ~ military^training >-as ..that.delivered by. Cap-. ,: ■ tain Sandtmann, a* . native"; ol'Germany, but V en; .ardent colonial; volunteer. .' Speaking of ..tho New Zealand youth, Captain Sandtmann : ■ saidt'. "Before, settling - ;in Kew Zealand ■■'.'a good-many years-ago now, I lived in four < f 'different'countries,in Europe,, and r at one . .time,!held a commission in tho army of iny'r ■ nativp land. It is natural : that I should have : taken some: interest in. the .military: condiy.tions/ of'.the different countries in : which/1 .subsequently., lived. ■' I may claim to have '■■■ Bome.peTSpnal;knowledge .of the '■■ stamp of ■.men .serving in-the ; armies .of .European j.. countries, and T'fyaveno Hesitation in saying that;the-young men of New. Zealand.are the finest:; raw. material for : a national; defence ..force-that I have ever seen. . Given efficient instructors and time I, .feel , confident "that '■. 'they' would hold, their . own azcinat \ any foreign army of equal numbers. But, there's the rub. It is.impossible under; a voluntary ; system to impart -the'.instruction required to ■: convert this.excellent raw, material into a 'useful part of the complicated organism of :. ■- B'modern army.", 1 ;;• „■;■..■'■' : - ; ;