DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1284, 13 November 1911, Page 5

DEFENCE.

SPEECH BY SIR JOSEPH WARD. "THE YELLOW PERIL." (By Tcleeraoh.—Press Association.) Invercargill, November 12. Sir Joseph Ward went to the Bluff on Saturday. There ho received a cordial reception from tho Mayor and citizens, Mrs. Nichol (wife of tho Mayor) presenting a bouquet to Lady Ward. During tho afternoon the ladies of tho Bluff gave a reception to Lady »««»■. . In the evening tho Prime Minister addressed about 700 people, and was very warmly received. Iho Mayor presided. Most of Sir Joseph Wards spooch covered old ground, but on the question of defence he touched new matter. Uβ contradicted the statement that tho Defence Department was compelling boys and cadets to go into camp with men. This was worso than imtmg, because the Opposition knew that under the territorial system tho cadets were not under the jurisdiction of tho Defence Department, but were controlled by the education authorities. Their own teachers were their officers. It' had also been said that senior cadets (15 to IS) should not bo allowed to go into camp with men. The proposal to have beys go into camp was not contemplated by the Bill. statements were a colossal attempt to snatch votes from tho mothers of the boys. In declaring against boys going into camp they wore saying that tbo Prime Minister should prevent something that was never proposed to be done. The defence system would be supported by every member of tho Opposition and by the trades and labcair councils, and was tho law of the Dominion. Why had no member of the Opposition published a litre in support of it? Because they believed that only a _ small fection of the community was against it. It was a question which should be placed above paTty tactics, and whorsver he went he would call attention to the mou who wero sheltering under the cover of a pre-arranged silence.

The Dreadnought. Referring to tho Dreadnought, the Prime- Minister spoke of Mr. Massey's assertions concerning tho autocratic nature of his (Sir J. Ward's) doings. There wero 60 or V 0 Opposition candidates saying at present that he ought to be put out of office on account of his action regarding the Dreadnought. . Ho had consulted Parliament and his colleagues, and the presentation of the Dreadnought had been mado subject to ratification by Parliament. Tho Opposition now stated that they objected to the way in which the proposal had been made, and proposal without loss of the prestige of tho country would have been jeopardised if they had voted against it. Sir Joseph Ward declared that overy member of Parliament could have voted against tho proposal without kss of prestige of tho country had he so desired, because ho had left the way open. Members of the Opposition had voted for the proposal, becauso in their own minds they know what a grand thing it was for tho conntry nnd for tho Empire, and wanted to have a share in tho kudos of passing it. If the proposal had not been made till Parliament sat, tho effect would have been lost. Being mado when it was it caused other nations to realise that for tho first time in tho history of Great Britain the Dominions beyond tho seas were knit firmly with the Motherland. Ho reminded the workers that the Labour Government of Australia had established universal military training, and decided to build a fleet of its own. An expert had estimated that 'tho capital cost of the navy would be' twenty or thirty millions, and internal defence Mould cost two millions a, year. If the Labonr Government of Australia had done that, ought' not Now Zealand to be willing to' par •£ioo,ooo a year for internal defence, and 4)150,000 a year for naval dofenceP. By reason of the greater number of harbours, the coast-line of New Zealand was more vulnerable than that of Australia.

The Premier went on to "speak of the proximity of Australia and Now Zealand to China, of the awakening in that conns''''«s? <l • w of ,,- **? imminent danger of the bellow Peril." The Pacinc bquadron had been recalled to Home waters. Tho shadow of the great coloured nation was looming over our country, and if wo were not reasonably equipped within our own borders, and nad not tho protection of tho British j\avy, we wonld find ourselves at tho mercy of China, which had been equipping during the last ten years, and was expected by tho authorities to U, within the noit ten years, even greater than Japan. Would anyone contend that if Uiina woro as well equipped as Japan there was no danger to New ' Zealand ? it wns the bounder, dnry of every ninn in the Dominion to be as well trained as tho trained men who were likely to como and attempt to take the country from us. -10-day in Now Zealand there was tho purest race in tho world. This was admitted and it was owing to the strict Jaws that wero in force with regard to tho immigration of aliens.

In ihe Event of Trouble. Would they have it said that in the event or trouble arising ten men in a street would volunteer for active serwould refuse to do anything of the kind? I his would mean that tho brand of coward would bo stamped on the foreheads of tho people of N«w Zealand. He did not behevo that there was a man in the country who would likf. this to bo ; S There wero men who believed that a great diingw was imminent, ami tow, 'l was .™r t l> Millie to do a little towards protecting tho future of what ivas regarded as tho white race-tho Maoris and the white people of New Zeaand ■To.establisli a i\«w Zealand nan was financially impracticable for a coimtV °iJ 111 !? 11 Pβ"! ,10 - Every vessel in Hie British Navy was a t the sorvico of JSew Zealand in time of trouble, and we wore doing very little for its support. perpetuated, and m another generation al,n,fr" a T °M C(luMt, ?. n mi Sht bring this about. In the meantime to preserve the peace of the world (and the Empire* the Bnlßh nation must lend in anna.iUnts and Aavy. Tho question of defers people to give the present defence scheme a fair trial. Only 30,000 men were re. 'ZT\ J**" the s - v^m in opVK none of them were over 21 years of ase except the membors of the old volunteer companies, who had boon transferred to the territorials. Givo tho system n i™ r «r l»fof trial, ; ,n,l thei/ it c"nM Ijo renewed, and nnomalies and im),--gruitics removed. Political party i fflon should not 1» introduced P acco°rtol° f tlm " kS mid MnfidcnceTTor^