MILITARY TRAINING

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 184, 5 August 1920, Page 7

MILITARY TRAINING

FARMERS' UNION VIEW.

F4VORS MR. MALCOLM'S SCHEME.

The question of compulsory military training came up for consideration at the Dominion Conference of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. - Mr C. K. Wilson (Auckland) moved the following Auckland remit: —"That the principle of compulsory military training be affirmed:" He asked permission to alter the remit, so as to read: "That the principle of compulsory military training under -the /Education Department be affirmed." Permission Avas granted. Mr Wilson said he thought they should do everything possible in this •direction. Mr G. P. Johnston (Gore) seconded the motion." .Mr A, S. Malcolm, M.P. (Clutha), spoke' upon the lines of his recent speech in the House, urging that railtiary training should be done in the schools under the Education Department, and that the training of officers and N.CO.'s should be carried out in the secondary schools lind' universities. He said he was •very anxious that a proper system of defence should be established, but he was satisfied that the present of Territorial training was absolutely •unsuitable to New Zealand.. (Hear, li§ar.) A military system in peace* time, he held, was out of place, and he thought they cquld get better l-esults under the Education Department at a cost of practically nothing, as compared with £750,000 a year advocated by General Russell. Mr W. A. Banks (Rangiora) supported cadet training in the primary schools. . Mr R. D. Duxfield (Horptiu) said he was fully in accord with the principles of daylight trailing in the schools. ■ Mr A. R. Ross (Auckland) thought they .should see to it that the youth <tf the country were brought^ up as healthy men, even if it cost £750,000 a year to achieve. He thoroughly favored doing away with the present system of compulsory military training. ~■,,•■, Mr A. E. Harding (Auckland) said lie had always supported the system now advocated by Mr Malcolm. Mr G. Sheat (Dunsandel) urged that they should put their feet down to prevent the establishment of a. system that would establish a lot of "cushie jobs" for people who wanted them, and who ought to be kicked back to work. 1 Mr W. P. Poison (Fordell) paid he had no objection to the remit, but lie thought the opinions that had teen expressed regarding military training had not been to the credit of the conference. They should remember that they lived in a part of the world where the next war was likely to be, and that when war oventup.ted we would ■ not be given ■three months' or six months' notice. ■Compulsory military training was good for the national physique. It absolutely essential that they should have a* trained nucleus so that the necessary expansion could take place in war. The present system .provided for that, and he thought they should be prepared against a •day when the country might be faced with a disaster -which would bring unthinkable results. < Mr H. J. Stace (Spring Creek) pointed out that the system advocated by Mr Malcolm was all very well so far as the towns were concerned. In the country most of the schools were.staffed by lady teachers, who could not .possibly give military •training. He thought all they should aim at in the primary schools was physical training, which could be given with benefit. "' Mr T. Moss (Eketahuna) said they should be very careful about creating a military caste in "New Zealand. Mr Wilson, in replying, said the Territorial system had been a hopeless failure. ; The motion was carried on the woices by a substantial majority.