IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16138, 15 January 1913, Page 11

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

' THE TERRITORIALS. United Prena Association —By Eleotrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 13. Lord Methuen, addressing the Territorials, said that while he supported Lord Haldane, yet when they heard Lord Roberts appealing, they might know that he was right. HEAVIER GUNS. It is reported that four battleships in the current programme will carry eight 16.25 guns, instead of ten 13.5. COMPULSORY TRAINING IN THE DOMINIONS. [FKOM Oca COKRKSPONDENT.] LONDON, December 6. The subject of compulsory military training in the dominions and colonies was the subject of several questions to which written answers were supplied last Monday, in the House of Commons. Mr Clougk (Liberal member for Skipton, Yorkshire) asked the Secretary for the Colonies whether the male children abovo twelve years of age of all immigrants into Australia and New Zealand from the United Kingdom who are British subjects are laid under statutory obligation to become conscripts, or to render compulsory military service, in those dominions after a residence therein exceeding six montii3. -

Colonel Seely (Secretary for War) supplied tho following answer: —Under the Defence Act of the Australian Commonwealth all male inhabitants of Australia who have resided therein for six months, and are British subjects, except those exempted by the Act, are liable to be trained between the ages of twelve and twenty-six. Under the Defence Act of New Zealand all male inhabitants of New Zealand who have resided there for six months, and are British subjects, are liable to be trained between the ages of twelve and thirty. There are certain exemptions from tho Act. I cannot accept the hon member's description of those subject to compulsory training as "conscripts." Mr* Clough further inquFf i in which of his Majesty's dominior 3 , and colonies there is any system Jn conscription or compulsory oblip,a:ion to render military service.. in each in-, stance, between which those statutory obligations operate. Colonel Seely's ansv.x fill proL'ably bo a great shock to some of,-those worthy anti-militarists v. ho h&fe beon busy of late warning peop" Mgainst emigrating to Australia ana N"ew Zealand because they may b>; called upon to prepare themselves to become efficient defenders of hearth and homo. How many of these busy bodies, on© wonders, were awaro of tie fact that all male inhabitants of f-Jie ago of eighteen years and upwards and under sixty, being British subjects, areliablo to serve in the militia, sjid that tho Governor-General may require all tho male inhabitants of Canada capable of bearing arms to serve in the case of a levee en masse?

If they turn their eyes to South Africa, what do they discover? Why, that every citizen is liable boftveen his seventeenth and sixtieth y ea r to render, in time'of war, personal service in defence of the Union,, and is liable to undergo a course of'vieace training for military servico, be required to commence that training in his twenty-first year and to complete it not later than his twentyfifth year, though he may voluntarily commence it in any year between his seventeenth and twenty-first year. Of the total number liable to peace training only 50 per cent shall actually undergo the "training unless special financial provision is mado by Parliament otherwise. But every citizen liable to training who has not been entered in his twenty-first year must servo as a member of a rifle association from his twenty-first year for four consecutivo years. In British Guiana the anti-militarist will not find peace, for in that colony there are two militia units,_ and every male person who is a subject of his Majesty and between eighteen and forty-five years of ago is liable to serve with the Forces. Ho may flee to Jamaica, but oven there he will find it is not all " rum and sugar," for, subject to certain exceptions, every malo inhabitant of the island between eighteen and forty is qualified to serve in the " Jamaica Militia Artillery," and if there are not sufficient volunteers to keep that force up to a proper footing, the requisite number is made up by ballot. Even in such " one-eyed " places as Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat and St Kitts-Ncvis, the objectors to compulsory training would not be safe, for though the defenco forces in these little colonies are in status and constitution volunteer foroes, when those forces fall below a certain strength all male inhabitants between eighteen and forty-five years of age (seventeen to forty in St Kitts-Nevis) are liable to serve, and the required number is chosen by ballot. The Bahamas, British Honduras and St Helena seem to bo (apart from India and tho Motherland) the most promising havens of refuge for the anti-miltarists. In these_ happy lands, it is true, statutory provision for compulsory service does exist, but as there are no militia forces in any of theso three colonies, tho legislation in question may be regarded as inoperative. Unfortunately these _ places do not offer any particular inducement for emigrants beyond their freedom from " militarism."