ARMAMENTS AND MEN.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 98, 10 April 1912, Page 5

ARMAMENTS AND MEN.

AUSTRALIAN COMPULSORY SYSTEM. [PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.) (Received 10. 9.15 a.m.) Melbourne, April 10. Mr. Smerdon, the weliknown British scoutmaster, has arrived to study the Australian compulsory training system. FOOLISH ADVICE. (Received 10. 9.15 a.m.) Adelaide, April 10. The Socialist Conference has recommended all working class boys to refuse to attend parades and decline to drill if committed in military custody. N.Z. CADETS. A CONTINGENT FOR CANADA. Wellington, April 10. Government has decided to send twenty senior cadets to Canada in response to an invitation to compete at the Canadian National Exhibition at Toronto. The competitions consist of drill, physical drill, and shooting matches. The contingent will leave in time to arrive at Toronto on or just before August 25th next. The Canadian authorities undertake to provide all transport expenses by sea and rail, also to provide accommodation. Cadets to be eligible must pass the medical test, height sft. 6in. to sft. 9in.. chest (relaxed) 31 inches to 32 inches, (inflated) 34 inches, age 16 to 18 years. A candidate must have been an efficient cadet from age of 14, be smart at drill and a good shot. Each military district is to supply five senior cadets. Before leaving for Canada the boys will train in or near Wellington for a month. During their absence from home they will be required to devote part of each day to school work. Service with the contingent will count as qualifying for service under the Defence Act. THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE ACT. HON. MYERS WILL SEE LAW CARRIED OUT. Wellington, April 10. Replying to a representative deputation which urged the enforcement of the compulsory principle of the Defence Act, the Hen. J. M. Myers said that as long as he was Defence Minister it was clearly his duty to see the law carried out. Only a very small minority of the people oi the Dominion opposed the military training. '

In regard to imprisonment it was not the intention of the Legislature that failure to comply with the Act should involve imprisonment, but failure to pay the fine brought about that result. The majority of those imprisoned had served their sentences, but in regard to ten whose sentences varied from four to fourteen days. Cabinet remitted a portion oi the sentence. Every man who refused to pay the fine was going to be imprisoned, but he pointed out that in the cases under review each man had served a portion of his sentence, and the law to that extent had bteen vindicated. An amendment of the Act was contemplated to provide some other penalty than imprisonment. The Government would endeavour to make the scheme an unqualified success.