DEFENCE EXPENDITURE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue 7046, 6 October 1900, Page 2

DEFENCE EXPENDITURE.

* The letter from Mr A. C. Atkinson on the defence expenditure deserves attention. It is not merely the largeness of the proposed expenditure which should induce discussion, but the graver aspect of the matter: that, large as the expenditure is, it does not promise to give efficiency. Mr Atkinson, of course, will not pretend to pose as a military expert, but it is only fair to him to say that comparatively few civilians have given as much time and attention to rifle shooting as he has, and probably his practical knowledge is quite equal to that of many so-called experts. However that may be, ho supports his contentions by facts and figures which are worthy of consideration. The proposed annual expenditure on defenpe is enormous, and it must be borne in mind that we are also spending borrowed money freely. While to demands for nepessary road works there is the stereotyped reply that the Minister for Lands has no funds available, the Public Works Estimates this year contains votes totalling JEloo,ooofov purchase of arms, ammunition, machine guns, &c. If all this money is to be spent with the result that but a small per centage of men will become efficient, it is time the brake was put down. Patriotism is one thing] and[altogether lovely; " jingoism " and " scatter cash " are other matters, and altogether foolish and wasteful. But we fear that the latter are influencing public expenditure j just now, and that the virtue of patriot- .' ism is really being made to cover a -' 1 multitude of mistakes and follies. '