MR M'NAB'S CAMPAIGN.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 11 June 1909, Page 5

MR M'NAB'S CAMPAIGN.

ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING IN

HAWERA

UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTS COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING.

Mr R. McNab, ex-Minister for Defence, 'who is delivering addresses tnroughout the Dominion to impress upon xiie people tne necessity of adopting universal military training, continued his crusade m Hawera on Thursday night, when lie spoke before an audience of tfGU in the Opera House. The Mayor (Air H. W. Sutton) presided, and associated with him were the officers of the local corps, representatives of the Hawera Chamber of Commerce, the clergy, and a number of public men. The District High School Cadets to the number of 90, headed by the Bugle Band, marched from the school to the Opera House, and were accommodated with seats in the orchestral

The cadets, as they swung

along the street, looked neat in their serviceable ui/iform of blue jersey, with Glengarry caps, and white haversacks strapped over their shoulders . The smart appearance of the lads generally evoked much favorable comment from the public. The audience throughout were thoroughly enthusiastic. The proceedings commenced with a selection from the Hawera Borough Band, after which the Mayor y asked Mr Oswald Hawken to say a feAv words.

Mr Hawken, who was received with applause, said he could assure Mr McNab that, knowing the people of the district as he (the speaker) did, he could say fhat a large majority we're

in favor of the system of military training which he was advocating, that was a thoroughly efficient compulsory system so that we might be prepared for war. Some miaht say that they did not want war. Well, that was like him ; he was not looking for war — (laughter) — but we, must be prepared to fight, for that «vas the best way to "keep at peace." /He could assure Mr McNab that many people were £a favor of his scheme. We knew that the cost would be great, but there were compensations. We V DID NOT WANT TO DECRY OUR VOLUNTEERS, but we felt that the system was not a sufficient assurance for the issue at stake — the defence of our land and commerce if necessary. We all had our duty to perform in advocating a /thorough system of compulsory military training. We should honor Mr McNab for the able manner in which he had taken the subject up, and Mr McNab was bound to meet with the favor of the people in advocating the cause he was speaking on thai; evening. (Applause.) Dr Brown sang "Rule Britannia," the audience' taking up the chorus with i great spirit. The presentation of the Challenge Cup to the cadets here took place, referred to elsewhere, after which Mr M. McAlpine sang "Empress of the Sea."

MR MCNAB'S SPEECH. Mr McNab was received with much enthusiasm. He! said he had to thank the people of Hawera for their kind invitation to speak here on the question of military training. He did not intend to speak on naval matters — not because he thought it was of little importance, far from that — but because he "found that all over New Zealand at the present time a great deal of interest was taken in naval defence. Be desired to speak on the other aspect of the auestion. He SPOKE AS A VOLTJN r J T EER WHO

HAD BEEN IN THE RANKS, and as an officer who had been in the infantry, field artillery and had commanded mounted squadrons. His experience as a volunteer was quite recent, for he had taken part in the Easter manoeuvres. The volunteer system had not been a success, it was true; that was not the fault of the volunteers, but of the system. When he joined the Ministry as Defence Minister he had an opportunity of learning whether or not the fault lay with the administration. He found in the Department ■ men who were wholly wrapped up in the volunteers and had the interests of the volunteers at heart. Yet the volunteers were a failure. He decided that this could not be through the administration, but that the fault lay in the system, and that the system would have to be replaced by something better. How did the volunteer system, fare in other parts of the world ? It had failed everywhere it had been tried. In England, where there were 44 millions against New Zealand's one million, the system had been tried and failed. Lord Roberts, one of the world's greatest generals, had led to victory an army composed of men who had not been pressed into service. Lord

Roberts, who was biassed in favor of volunteers, had declared that the system had been a failure in England. That great general had declared that the volunteers in the Mother Country were not fit to take the field against a regular army. Mr McNab said they wanted a system where all would be trained to defend their country j he wanted '

THOSE WHO STOOD AT THE - CORNERS JEERING at the volunteers to do their duty to the country in which they were enjoying the privilege of living. In Australia the volunteering system had aot lieen a success. There the Commonwealth Government were making provision for the training of all young men in the defence ooff f their country. It had been said that labor was against universal military training, but Mr McNab strongly contended that both in Australia and New Zealand the movement had the support of larc;e sections of the workers and also of the Socialists. Australia was framing legislation with the view, to preventing aliens from gaining I her shores ; she wanted a properly i trained country to back up her legislation if necessary. They could not keep the Japanese out of New Zealand by merely passing an Act ,of Parliament. They could o*ily do that by showing that New Zealand was in a position to

i defend her country. Mr McNab said -he had seen Johnson and Burns training, and he thought it was a pity we in New Zealand could not learn a W?on from the thoroughness in which tho<-e operations were carried out and apply the same thoroughness in prepar-

ing ourselves for the defence of our land. He showed how a small country luce Switzerland had benefited through the adoption of compulsory military training. He said that before the Swiss took to compulsory military training the country was pillaged by all the surrounding powers. Those powers, however, did not trouble Switzerland now, for they knew that she was thoroughly trained in military defence •md could take care of herself. Mr McNab said he would like to give A FEW FIGURES CONCERNING

OUR OWN VOLUNTEERS in New Zealand. He intended to take last year's report of the Inspector-Gen-eral (Colonel Davies) for figures he would quote. Pie found that the country paid capitation on 13,049 volunteers. It was frequently stated that the actual number was about 20,000, but that number included 3000 each for rifle clubs and cadets, and 380 for the Permanent Force. Colonel Davies, who had served in South Africa, and was the only colonial officer promoted to take charge of a column, was sent out to find the 13,049 volunteers for whom the country was paying J capitation. Parades were called at times convenient at the places visited, and the Inspector-General came back and reported that he had only been able to find 7109. At the Easter camp, which was held in the one period of the year when they got nearest service conditions they found that only 5935 turned out, say 6000 volunteers. In every 100 men paid for under the volunteer system the , Inspector-General only found 54 when he inspected the corps, and only 45 at the Easter, camp.

THE VOLUNTEER SYSTEM COST £196,354.

From this amount he ought probably to deduct the cost of Defence Cadets, Defence Rifle Clubs, and of the Permanent Artillery. The efficiency of the volunteer force was measured by the four days' Easter encampment. Every

two years 6000 men who had attained

that^ efficiency returned to private life, and for 3000 per annum the taxpayers paid £196,000, or £65 per man per annum. Mr McNab then went on to compare the volunteer system of drilling, etc., when he first jdined as compared with that now in vogue. He pointed out a couple of hours' work in a hall once a week was probably alright a few years ago, but conditions of war-

fare had changed, and modern methods needed to, be taught. And everybody in New Zealand, as soon as they reached a ceitain age, whether they liked it lor not, should be compelled to • come ferward and be trained in readiness to defend their country. A suggestion had been made that the volunteers might be rejuvenated and made workable if the volunteers were given a permit to travel over the railways for a certain period every year. Was thfe defence of the greatest .country the world had ever seen to be dependent on men who would not train and qualify themselves for thai; defence except by getting a passport over the'raihvays? It was a shameful scandal to place the defence of the, country on a foundation such as that. (Loud applause.) Is there any necessity for thinking seriously over this problem, asked Mr McNab. He replied emphatically that there was, and in this connection pointed out that Lord Roberts had also stated in 1906 that it would be '

THE HEIGHT, OF FOLLY for Great Britain to enter into a campaign with a civilised Power, depending on the army situated as theirs was at that time. The situation had not changed, though the Territorials had replaced the volunteers. Was it not enough to make a sane man pause, i indeed it was not enough to make an insane man think? (Loud applause.) Lord Roberts had further pointed out that in the Russo-Japanese war Russia had transported 750,000 men 6000 miles. ,If she had descended on India, instead of Manchuria, how could Great .Britain have met these -750,000 men on fcho frontiers? Mr McNab went on to show how the physique of the British Army had deteriorated since 1845. At that time a man had to be sft 6in before he could join, but now the standard was reduced to oft 3in. In "1900 611 recruits of every 1000 weighed 9st 41b, and in 1904 the figures were 644 per 1000/ while 25 per 1000 weighed under 7st 21b. The standard of physique required for the British Army was going steadily down, and he quoted further figures in ssupport of Ms contention. Mr McNab submitted some interesting figures sbWing how the death rate of British soldiers during the South African war was greater than that in the Franco-Prussian" and the Russo-Japanese wars. In the FrancoPrussian and Russo-Japanese wars they had compulsory service,- and in the Boer war this was not so. In the case of the Prussians the number of deaths through disease was 35 per cent, and in the case of the Japs. 25 per cent. Under the voluntary system was the percentage like the Prussians' 35 per cent, or was it 25 per cent like the Japs. No; it was more than those two figures put together. They wanted to get the very best men who could stand the deprivations of winter. As further showing how

THE BRITISH ARMY. HAD DETERIORATED in physique, Mr McNab said that of 11,000 men at Manchester who offered their services, 8000 were rejected straight off, 2000 were considered good enough for the militia, while orly 1000 were selected. Theft- national existence depended on their having the best men in service, yet was that the flower and ability of the race ? He contended that compulsory military training would improve the physique of our youth. It had been said that compulsory training would interfere with the industries of our country. He pointed out, however, that owr greatest commercial competitors were those countries whose men were compelled to go through a course of military training for some years. Mr McNab said they wanted a system by which every young man would receive a thorough military training, and he claimed this could be done and better value obtained for the money now expended on our voluntary system of training. Parliament was NOT IN A POSITION TO LEGISLATE on the subject; yet. Parliament would legislate as soon as the people showed that they were quite prepared to go in for the compulsory system of training. Mr McNab, in conclusion, made an eloquent appeal to his audience to support the system which he was advocating. Mr McNab's address was listened to attentively throughout, and he was frequently applauded.

Mr P. O'Doa said hv liad much pleasure in moving the following resolution : (1) That in the opinion of this meeting any system of national defence worthy of the name must recognise the absolute necessity of military training and marksmanship for every able-bodied adult of suitable age : (2) that defence of hearth and home is the duty of every able-bodied inhabitant; (3) that Parliament should legislate in the direction of the foregoing at an early date, and that a, copy of the resolution be sent direct

to the Premier.

Mr O'Dca, in the course of his remarks, said the Government did no* give the same support to the cadets now as it did 5 or 6 years ago.

Dr Brown said he had been requested to second the resolution. He did so with much pleasure. The doctor referred to the good to be obtained from military draining, and enthusiastically supported the motion., The resolution was carried with tremendous applause.

The Rev. Shore moved a hearty vote of thanks to tho speaker of the evening. It had been a pleasure' to listen to the eloquent address by Mr ,'JMcNab. Mr McNab "fS-i?'-DESERVED" THE GREATEST

CREDIT for trying to arouse enthusiasm on the all-important question of military training.

Mr Barton, in a characteristic speech, , seconded tlie motion, which was carried unanimously, followed by three hearty cheers.

Mr McNab expressed his thanks for the very enthusiastic vote of thanks given him, and said it had given him pleasure to speak in Hawera.

On the motion of Mr McNab the Mayor was accorded a vote of thanks for presiding. The singing of the National Anthem brought the proceedings to a close.