King Country Chronicle. Tuesday, February 23, 1937. MILITARY TRAINING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4959, 23 February 1937, Page 4

King Country Chronicle. Tuesday, February 23, 1937. MILITARY TRAINING.

The Prime Minister has given an assurance to the National Peace Conference that the Labour Government is opposed to conscription of any kind, and that there were a lot of Acts on the Statute Book which wouldnot be there much longer. This is a sweeping statement to make when the world position of to-day is taken into account. There is an Act providing for compulsory military training to-a limited extent, but for economic reasons this Act has not been operating since 1930. Under the present law, however, the Act can again be made operative at the discretion of the Government, but the Prime Minister has indicated that the Act will be rescinded altogether. This announcement will give some deep concern to those who realise the possible dangers that threaten this Dominion. Since the start of European occupation of New Zealand, the country has been free from outside aggression. Our isolation has been our safety in the past, but to-day the position is very much different. With the means of rapid transport and the use of air machines our isolation is nothing less than a menace, and if no defensive measures are taken this menace becomes a position danger—a danger that becomes more, serious when we

live in a state of smug complacency. We are living in a world of rapid changes. If anyone had prophesied a quarter of a century ago the downfall of two of the greatest monarchies—Russia and Germany—he would have been ridiculed. Yet such has come to pass. We know full well that almost all the European countries are jealous of the vast possessions of the British Empire. Some of these countries only want to have Great Britain embroiled in a war in Europe, and they would immediately swoop down on countries like Australia and New Zealand. A speaker at the Defence League meeting held in Te Kuiti some months ago, expressed the opinion that it would be useless for New Zealand to attempt to build up defence forces sufficient to repel an outside attack, and that we would have to rely on the British Navy. In some respects this may be true, but are the men in this country to stand idly by and watch the Navy fighting for our defence, especially when we are not paying an adequate subsidy for the upkeep of that Navy? The Archbishop of York recently stated that pacifists wei*e a menace to peace, and it is not difficult to understand this point of view. If Abyssinia had been capable of defending herself two years ago, the Italian campaign would never have started. Mussolini knew the weakness of Abyssinia, and that country was an easy victim to his ambitions. Coming nearer home, we have the case of the Morioris at the Chatham Islands. The Morioris numbered 1200 in 1831, when it was invaded by SOO Maoris from New Zealand, and in nine years there were only 90 Morioris left. This is history which may be repeated in this country. The time may come when compulsory military training will be a sudden and absolute necessity in this Dominion, but if there is no legislation on the Statute Book, the delay in bringing it into operation will be serious. There is nothing humiliating in compulsory military training. Rather it should be an honour and a privilege for young men to make themselves capable of playing a part in the defence of their country.