THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. TUESDAY AUGUST 2, 1949. Tomorrow's Referendum Issues

Northern Advocate, 2 August 1949, Page 4

THE NORTHERN ADVOCATE Registered for transmission through the Post as a newspaper. TUESDAY AUGUST 2, 1949. Tomorrow's Referendum Issues

The people of New Zealand will it is the willing people on whom the have to discharge n heavy responsi- bulk of the work falls, others being bility tomorrow, when they will be content to fill the role of spectacalled upon to say at the ballot box tors.

whether they favour or disapprove of compulsory military training as proposed by the Government and supported by the Official Opposition.

This means that compulsory training is desirable from the points of view of fair division of service by the young men of the Dominion and of offciency of the military organisation.

The decision of Parliament to support the Government’s decision to take a referendum on the proposal that youths shall undergo compulsory military training has placed on the shoulders of all who are on the electoral rolls of the Dominion a task that has rarely been placed upon the shoulders of the people.

The contention that the compulsory military training scheme will interfere with the liberty of youths as they reacfi the age of 18 years is entirely illogical, if not mischievous, for it is a plain fact that if this country, or any other country, were not in a position to help effectively resist an aggressor young men would in reality lose their liberty, and that very quickly and decisively. This is a matter mothers should take into consideration when discussing a proposal that boys when they reach 18 years of age shall undergo military training of limited nature.

As the issue is one of supreme importance to the Dominion and the nation those who have the right to vote cannot divest themselves of their duty to say “Yes” or “No” to the proposed scheme. From every point of view there is necessity for a heavy poll, without which no result can be satisfactory, as the Government requires an unmistakeable expression of public opinion.

They should also realise that if need for mobilising troops should arise, which please God may never be, their sons would be well equipped to give the best service with the least personal risk, for it has been proved time and time again that lack of training, especially in the requirements of modern warfare, has caused great unnecessary loss of life.

Reasons why an affirmative vote at the referendum should be carried by a large majority are many and impressive. Nobody looking at a bewildered world today can escape the conviction that to sit with folded hands and trust to something turning up which would immediately dispel the fear of a war of aggression would be sheer lunacy. Rather is there forced upon thoughtful people a conviction that instead of hoping for security New Zealanders should take steps to prepare themselves to protect the liberty they enjoy. Who can say that New Zealand at present time is in a position to protect itself if an aggressor should unfortunately decide to let loose the dogs of war? Obviously, New Zealand would have to rely to large extent upon the help of others, and this at once raises the question whether a selfrespecting people could or should expect to receive help without making a contribution to the general pool. That constitutes the crux of the argument in favour of the introduction of compulsory military training, and that is why a scheme of extremely moderate character has been devised and is to be submitted to the people tomorrow —a scheme that has the approval of the Imperial General Staff and the military advisers of the Defence Department in the Dominion.

On all these counts, added to the fact that boys will receive physical training which will stand them in good stead either as civilians or soldiers, there is really only one way in which patriotic New Zealanders should cast a vote at the referendum. Again, it may be repeated, the urgent need is for an overwhelming affrmatiifc vote in order that Britain, which has carried New Zealand’s burdens to an excessive degree in the past, may know that in her time of stress the people of this Dominion, no less than the people of the Commonwealth as a whole, are with her. Such a vote would indicate pres-ent-day New Zealanders’ recognition of the truth contained in the late Mr Savage’s pronouncement when World War II was declared: “Where Britain stands we stand; where Britain goes we go.” Such a declaration by British people the world over is required today to strengthen Commonwealth bonds with allies and warn aggressors that though New Zealand, with the Commonwealth generally, earnestly desires peace in the world, it will not leave its doors wide open to an enemy.

There is general agreement that New Zealand should possess a trained defence force, but experience has proved that such a force cannot be obtained on a voluntary basis, because, as invariably happens where effort of any kind is needed,

Tomorrow is one of those days when New Zealanders may take a share in shaping the destiny of lib-erty-loving peoples the world over. They will take a worthy share if they register a decisively affirmative vote at the ballot box.