COLONIAL PUGNACITY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1294, 24 November 1911, Page 6

COLONIAL PUGNACITY.

— fy — TIIEY WANTED TO GO TO TRIPOLI. (Ey Tclciraoh.—l'ross Acsocla.llon.l Christchurch, November 23. Sydney files to band show that the offer from New Zealand of a troop or a squadron to fight in Tripoli against the Italians emanated from Commandant C'ook, of tho Legion of Frontiersmen. Interviewed on (lie subject, Commandant Cook said that his connection with the matter was more or less of a Joke. "Severn] fellows u-.mled lo go over lo Tripoli," he said, "and asked me if I would send a cable to Sydney if they provided the funds, and, the funds being forthcoming, I cabled as stated. My action was not taken as a member of the Legion of Frontiersmen, and the fellows who asked me to cable do not belong to tho Legion. At tho time that I cabled, (he announcement calling on British subjects to maintain a neutral attitude in tho war between Italy and Turkey had not been published, and, as soon as it was published, the whole proposal fizzled out. "Of course I would not have had anything to do with it as soon as I found out th.it it would be illegal to do so. "There are some fellows here, and in other parts of New Zealand, who do not care who they fight against so long as it is not against tho British, and so long as they can fight legitimately. "I could get thirty or forty men in Now Zoaland to go to any part of tho World for active service—it would not matter against what nation so long as it was not' England—and they would tutnblo over one another in order to get the ch'anco to go. "Many of theso men havo seen service ill various parts of tho world, and some of I'heiji are South . African' . .veterans. If anything had come of tho ofl'er to help Turkey, I should, of course, havo obtained permission from tho New Zealand defence I authorities.". I