DEFENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 70455, 4 October 1900, Page 2

DEFENCE.

* Though much praise has been given in the Old Country to Mr Seddon's scheme of colonial assistance to Imperial defence, the press is by no means a medium of unexceptional agreement on the Bubject. Thus "an Australian correspondent," writing to the Morning Leader, voices an opinion which will be found pretty prevalent in some quarters. He describes Mr Seddon's scheme for an Imperial Reserve as " an extravagant proposal, likely to turn Australia into a vast recruiting ground for the Imperial army. That New Zealand should form and maintain a standing army of 10,000, with a reserve of 50,000, seems absurd enough when it is considered how vast an extent of agricultural land is lying idle there for want of workers to till it. But the probability of the New Zealand proposal being emulated and outdone in Australia itself is so great at the present time that the serious nature of the scheme is not confined in its effects upon New Zealand alone." The reply is that the 10,000 are not taken off the land, but are cultivating it simultaneously with tbeir soldierly duties. The real fact is, at least a twelfth part of their time will be lost to the soil. The Star follows on the same lines as the Leader correspondent, and asks, " Is it a wise thing for Australia to be drawn too freely into the quarrels and contentions of the old world?" The Country Gentleman congratulates New Zealand on her patriotism, and advocates the drawing up of some workable scheme at once, saying : — "If the Council of Imperial Defence would only justify its name, and inquire into the matter from a broad-minded point of view, paying attention to the susceptibilities of the colonies, and not allowing th 6 scheme to be scotched by departmental quibblings, a force of some 50,000 efficient Imperial troops could be added to the army within six months." The United Service Gazette describes Mr Seddon's scheme as one of the most welcome evidences of the desire on the part of the colonies to join hands with the Mother Country in increasing and developing the fighting strength of the Empire. The latter is the right view, but that is a different thing to supplying to the Imperial army 50,000 Tommy Atkinses at call. Mr T. Lloyd asks in the Statist: — "Would it not be a more business-like and more satisfactory arrangement if the Mother Country and the colonies were once for all to settle between themselves beforehand what sbould be done when hostilities break out ? It is to be borne in mind that the colonies, by their action in South Africa, and by their offers respecting China just now, admit as fully and as clearly as anybody need desire that, being portions of the Empire, it is their duty as well as their interest to contribute to tho defence of the Empire." "We are not prepared to say with Mr Lloyd that the troops were sent to South Africa as a matter of duty ; that robs us of any credit in the matter, for who but the malingerer asks for credit for doing his duty ? Mr Lloyd advocates some scheme of colonial representation in the council which decides for peace or war, so that when any difficulty, leading probably to war, arises there will be " some means of consulting all the colonies of the whole British Empire, so that it should be known everywhere that the entire British Empire stands shoulder to shoulder." If that means a permament member on the council for each colony, having respectively the power to vote and commit his colony to a war with any enemy Britain may have a quarrel with, we do not think the scheme would find many supporters in New Zealand. The Maori race is represented pro rata in the New Zealand Parliament, but we have never heard that the Maori people had much influence on legislation, albeit we havo heard it stated that the Maori members as a rule side with the Government of the day. What would be the amount of proportionate representation awarded to New Zealand in a council of the Empire ? The fact is, there are some wars which the colonies would feel they w ere bound to take part in for the

preservation of the honour and integrity of the Empire, but there may be some they would not fight ftt any price and as we have cables, and shall havt more, we would like to be personally consulted every time. Hitherto it ha? not been necessary for the Mother Country to ask ; the ready assistance has been proffered ; but we do not think the oolonies will like that help to be construed into an operation proceeding from obligation and duty, and that would not be a wise basis on which to approach the subject. We are indebted to the correspondent of the Canterbury Times for extracts.