DEFENCE SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1706, 25 March 1913, Page 4

SUPPORTED BY MR. VEITCIL THE OPPOSITION: ONLY A SPASM. NO TIME FOR THE SHIRKER* (By Telocraph.—Special Correspondent.) Wanganui, March 2a. Some interesting remarks on the dcfenco system were made by Mr. W. A. Veitcli, M.P., at a re-union of the old. Wanganui Nanus' Associatioji on Saturday evening.' In paying a tribute to tho wort clone Oy tile volunteer lorce ix'loio tho Territorial System canio into operation', Mr. Veitcli said tliat whilo tno youug nands wore Ueing trained, and lor some time to come, it would' really bo the old hands upon whom tho country would have to re,y lor delence. lie con-' sidered that tho volunteers had not been properly eaicouragecl, but had been neglected and sUuvod. ..Tho old systoiu would havo been tho best to build the new system upon, and ho' regretted this liad not been done. At tho isame time, tlie present system had come to stay, und ■ vtwould be iound supporting it. i' that it was perfect, but their aiui snould be to improve its imperfections, not to abolish the system. Thero was, no teared, an element of snobbery creeping min regard to promotions. That s lou d bo seen to, and a poor man's >oit sttoind bo given an equal chance' with tlia rich man s. , Ho considered, 'too, that th 9 services of volunteer officers had not peon recognised in the matter of appointments under the new system, aud that was another matter he intended bringing U P. He had nothing to say against tho qualifications of the imported' officers, but ho considered tiie New Zealand., officers knew and could handle their men better. Mr. Veitcli said ho strongly supported the priuciplo of training lor national defence. Having been employed for twenty years in the Railway Department,. ha had been unable to do any training himself, but he had two boy? who were now of ago to enter upon'it. . They wero keen to go in for it, and if [they wero otherwise ho would, feel inclined to turn them out. He had no time, for tho man who' refused; to train for tho defence,of his.country.' Not long since a man had said to him, "I voted for you last election, but I will not do so. again. You support, military training. Hut I don't believe in a boy being trained to shoot his father." ' Mr. Vc-itch, in reply, asked the man what ho would do if a few Chinamen canio up the river ajid carried off his wife or daughter. Tho man could not reply to that argument, and admitted it. Ho (Mr. Veitcli) meant to staftd by the present 6ystem, eveai if ho lost his election, for he would sooner go down in a good etiuso than win ill a bad one. .As Britishers wo must bo prepared to defend our homes. Last session 'only four members voted against ; tho system in Parliament, so bearing that in mind, everyone would readily perceivo .that, it had come to stay, though ' improvements in it wero nooessafy. • ■ Ha did not think tho present agitation of a ; few people against tho system would, bo cpntinued for long. It was. only a passing spasm. , In fact, ,if tho country wera attacked, ho believed that most of those who wero now yelling so loudly against the system. would themselves 1 be tho first to take up arms. 'As for the young New Zealanders, they were a loyal and honourable body, aitd his own opinion of them was that they would do tlleir utmost in the . defence of their country. Mr. Vcitch's views wero londly cheered by the meeting,.which, save for, a small sprinkling of business men, was wholly composed of working ivuge-earnops.