MILITARY TRAINING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 13, 15 July 1939, Page 15

MILITARY TRAINING

UNIVERSAL SYSTEM

AFTER LABOUR GOES OUT

"When the Opposition becomes the Government we will put universal military training on the Statute Book; I have no hesitation in making that statement," said Mr. Kidd.

He referred to the remarks made by Dr. D. G. McMillan (Government, Dunedin West) on the previous day to the effect that when he (Dr. McMillan) had joined up under the compulsory scheme of a former Government his job on one occasion when in camp had been to run round from thistle to thistle with a kerosene tin pretending that he was a machine-gun. He had got tired of the task and paraded sick next day. Dr. McMillan: Sick of the tom- ! fodlery. ; ! ;- Mr! Kidd said that Dr. McMillan had been "swinging the lead." The men who were enlisted under the universal service scheme had been trained by men brought from England and India —men who had been responsible for 'training New Zealand soldiers for the Expeditionary Force which had given such a fine account of itself during the Great War. He did not think that 16,000 men would be sufficient for the defence of New Zealand. Mr. W. J. Lyon (Government, Waitemata): How many do you want?' Mr. Kidd: We want at least 30,000 or 40,000. It will take about 20,000 to defend Wellington alone. Mr. Lyon: That means you will need a quarter of a million for New Zealand.