NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 141, 12 June 1909, Page 5

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

MR JUSTICE COOPER'S

OPINION

At the close of his lecture last night in Wesley Hall, Mr Justice Cooper, at the invitation of the CBtftiJMr.n, referred briefly to the que«j6fci of national defence. lie considered it very necessary that the boys and young men of the Dominion should be trained so that they might be competent to be defenders of their hearths and homes in the event, of any enemy attempting to invade j the country. For some years past a ! certain amount of training in drill had been given the boys in the public , schools, and they had been taught the < use of arms, which was of infinite value. He was in Auckland duriiig the recent visit of the American fleet, > and attended the review of the cadets by. his Excellency the Governor in, company with two American officers, | and they were unanimous in their; approval of the system, of military I training, given the cadets at thei public schools, in fact they informed him that the system was unknown. in America. The Commander of the Flagship had said that while New-! Zealand had that system of training} in the public schools and it was continued there was no need to fear invasion from a foreign army. Mr Justice Cooper said the strength of the trained inhabitants of-the cottiir try should commence with our boys, which training should be continued: after the boys left school. It was a well-known fact that only- a very; small proportion of the boys aftefr ! they left school joined the ranks of | Volunteer corps. He thought that j something, could be done to continue \ the system of training of the boys j upon their leaving scTiool in order that they might be taught discipline, and be able to. take an active part in defending the country and their homes. He would attend Mr McNab's lecture on Wednesday evening. He believed everyone wha^had .the-;, interestsi of tfie .-Dominion at heart should "desire . t<> see the country's; internal defence improved, and would' subscribe towards any movement affecting the general system of military training which had been commenced at 'the public schools.