“A FOOL’S PARADISE”

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 259, 29 July 1937, Page 15

“A FOOL’S PARADISE”

Defence in New Zealand MUST ENCOURAGE VOLUNTEERS “This question of defence in New Zealand is not a political matter;, polities do not enter into it at all, said Major 11. M. Richardson. D. 5.0., M.C., president of the Marlborough branch of the South African War Veterans’ Association, last night, when addressing representatives of the association from all parts of the Dominion at a smoke concert held by the Wellington branch in connection with the annual conference. His speech was a strong appeal for the encouragement of voluntary defence training, and it met with the complete approval ot those present. Captain J. J. Clark, ot the Wellington branch, was in the chair.

“If you prepare for trouble then you are ready to meet it when it comes,” said Major Richardson. “Help and encouragement should be extended to volunteers by every member of the community. To do this, we must, stimulate public interest iu the voluntary military movement and make a special appeal to employers for their co-opera-tion in allowing cadets time off for attendance at training camps. “All old soldiers realise »he need which faces the country and are prepared to assist. The volunteers of today are the soldiers of the future and it is they who will have to defend the country if the need arises. At present the volunteer has the distinction of being the lowest-paid worker in New Zealand. He goes into camp and works long hours for a paltry 4/- a day. The mounted man is in an even worse position. He has to pay for the hire and shoeing of his horse —an amount equivalent to at least half his pay. “Dangerous State of Affairs.” “We are in a fool’s paradise as far as defence in this country is concerned. We have not got sittlieient trained olficers or men for even the slightest effective defence and the sooner this dangerous state of affairs is remedied the better.” Major Richardson drew a graphic picture of the precarious condition of world peace to-day, and, referring to the European situation, stressed the need for Empire unity. “England is spending enormous amounts on defence, Italy is ambitious of control in the Mediterranean, and Germany has once again become a strong factor iu Europe,” he said. “And at a time like this New Zealand is the weakest link in the Empire chain. If we were raided to-morrow we could only sit back and isay, ‘take what you want.’ ”