MILITARY TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 32, 7 August 1919, Page 8

MILITARY TRAINING

TO IHB EDItOa. , Sir,—l was glad to see Professor Hunter's two letters in the columns of the Evening Post. Ho, like many more of us, evidently: would like to see our educational system kept entirely free from military influence; and one would judge, if there is necessity to teach the boys more in the direction of citizenship, hygiene, morality, and physical development, that the schoolmasters and. teachers would be the best fitted and most qualified to do that. With the League of Nations before us, and the contemplated reduction of armaments, we could cheerfully .assume that there would be absolutely no necessity to conscript the lads and extend the operations ■of the Defence Act, and surely no one would advocate it, but those directly interested in military organisation. One is glad to see' that the British War Minister promises to remove conscription in 1920. And it would only be a just thing to our boys if our New 'Zealand Parliament would also repeal the Defence Act and relieve theni of cc-mpulsory training. We hope the Cabinet will see its way to move in that direction. It seems unjust and inequitable to compel our youths to train when they have no vote or voice in the matter. If there must be an army, and if there are those who. desire to train, let it be voluntary. But at the present juncture in our history the one thing needfuj, in view of the huge debt piled iip during the last five years, is to exercise the greatest economy and restrict extension in all. nonproductive work, as the resources of the country will be taxed to its .utmost in the coming years to meet its obligations. There will be a great outlay if the country does justice to our young men, many of whom have come back maimed and broken in health, and who will require assistance for a long time, as well as their dependents, . and also the dependents of those brave men who, unfortunately, will never return,—l am, «>tc., . ■PATER,