New Zealand’s Defence

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 54, 26 November 1938, Page 13

New Zealand’s Defence

Sir,—lt is high time the people of this Dominion realized the hopeless inadequacy of our defence force and were awakened from their slumbers of living in a fool’s paradise. W e are not playing the game with Australia by allowing the position of our defence force to drift along. The voluntary system has been proved a fiasco; moreover, why should the willing few be expected to defend tliose who are not prepared to come forward and 'do their bit? In fairness to all we should demand universal training of all able-bodied men from 18 to 30 years for home defence. If a country such as ours is worth, living in it. is certainly well worth defending. Those who are not prepared to do their bit should get out. New Zealand has no use for them. Surely our people do not want a taste of what is going on in Spain and China, where helpless citizens have become fodder for hostile bombs and guns. Let us be alive to our duty to the Empire of which we are proud, and act now before it is too late. Who knows that a hostile force may not be hovering round our coast iu the near future? Again I say wake up New Zealand and do your dutv.—l am, etc., HOME DEFENCE Otaki, November 25.