MILITARY TRAINING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXI, Issue 5596, 7 July 1930, Page 4

MILITARY TRAINING.

Sir,—l was delighted with your reference to “the petted darlings of the democracy”—the highly-paid Civil Servants—who you thought 1 .should displace their present attitude of hostility towards the Government’s economy proposals by one of co-opera-tion. On that issue, I note that the > “big. tin hats” of our antiquated military system are becoming apprehensive about the proposal to abolish compulsory military training in New Zealand. A point on which they are, discreetly silent is the fact that there is no compulsory training in . Great Britain. New Zealand shares this system with European countries, such as France and Italy, but with no Englishspeaking country. A simple and obvious question is: If it is not necessary in Britain, Canada,’or U.S.A., why is it necessary in New Zealand? The remark that the Empire was tragically unprepared in 1914 is, considering the fact that tlje British Navy was actually twice as powerful then than any other, merely ridiculous. The territorial system is patently unnecessary, and during the war proved itself to be absolutely useless. At that time men. who.had been trained were placed on the same footing and received the same training as ‘ those who had not been trained. This is an unaswerable argument, against the system. I would repommencl these “tip'hats” to leave their military handbooks, etc., for a little while and read instead some impartial literature, on the origin of the last war, with a view to acquiring a psychology which would tend to prevent a repetition of anything so futile and horrible. lam glad to think that the Government will proceed with its intentions,’ in spite of the most urgent representations by the military caste. • —I am, etc., *‘X.’Y. Z.” Paeroa, July 1, 1930.