THE DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13286, 19 September 1906, Page 5

THE DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

VIEWS OF CORRESPONDENTS, We have received the following letters on the subject of tho defence of the colony TO THE EDITOR. v ' Sir, Allow me to thank you and the &u» thor of the article by "Tohunga" in Saturday's Supplement, for the publication of such a soul-stirring appeal to the people of this colony to throw off their apathy, and learn to defend themselves and their homes before it is too late. When the war begins, it will be too late. A professional soldier, writing to me on the subject some little time ago, said: " I fear that nothing will stir the people of your colony from their apathy but war." This is not a party question, and", it should bo lifted above all party considerations. Let us remember that wo in this colony are geographically the outpost o£ Western civilisation. We stand first for the attack of the semi-barbarous hosts of Asia, and wo shall inevitably have to bear the , shock of their first attack. We represent the civilisation which is the outcome of nineteen centuries of storm and struggle. It is »- social condition far from satisfactory, but it is the best wo can attain at present, and it is improving with . every decade. In it there are many things wo may regret, some wo must deplore, and some tho best thinkers amongst, us must unhesitatingly condemn. 1 But at its worst it is far better than anything which preceded it. either in Greek or Roman civilisation. It has abolished slavery and serfdom, it lias made strenuous to improve the social condition of the classes that earn their living by labour, it has raised them intellectually and socially by education, and by the abolition of privileges and equalisation of taxation. It has placed before statesmen higher ideals, and requires from Governments a constant and anxious attention to the well-being and improvement of the masses. It has abolished torture and cruel punishments for crime, and has raised tho moral standard both of personal and publio action far beyond anything known before tho advent of Christianity. It is the result and outcome of the work of philosophers in their studies, of men of strong social sympathies, eager for the improvement of tho race, and of heroes and martyrs who have not feared to sacrifice their liberties or their lives for the sake of their ideals. It is worth fighting for, if anything ip this world is worth fighting for. In the great upheaval of tho'Asiatio world we shall have to encounter myriads of people who during all these centuries have been, divided into: only two classes, cruel, sensual and bloodthirsty despots, and crouching slaves. Are we to yield to them without striking a blow for the freedom and progress our. ancestors have purchased for us by such sacrifices and such struggles? If wo are to die in the struggle then let us die, for

',' How can men die better than facing; fear-; • i'ul odds, '■■•■-' , For the ashes of. their fathers, and tho temples of their gods." , R. H. Bake well. Onehunga, September 17, 1906.

Sir,—-My authority for entering uponTibie subject is that I hay© had active training ire the best trained army of Europe, and haW also seen active service in one of the irrojru-' - { far corps that a British colony raises in* ' times of panicstruly two very different)! things. In short, I an? a Gorman,, whoa* home and heart are in New Zealand, audi' who sees the day fast approaohiug when we. . shall have to stand by our guns and defend); :{ this country"against the hordes r 'of Asia-}' '.§§,; People of Now Zealand, do not. lull your-', solves to sleep by pooh-poohing ' and orying? ' down as alarmists men who "know a llttl»! ! , of the goings on in other, spheres than foot* ball, borseraoing, and cricket circles. You* : travellers, your Imperial officers, yQur."welfe;>ci' ;l wishers, .all tell you the same.thing. Pre-< pore! You are r here a white outpostj *C"; behoves you to do 'so.;'I 1 have read every Parliamentary report made by .your ooie-4 mandants for years. They come here pre* pared to do their best, but political influence has killed their efforts. I have seen your} volunteer and militia officers—know a ; good! , few of them—disheartened, disgusted, and* sick of the whole system, and no wonder.j]: ,:. Have the people of New Zealand not rea«l the consequences- of political influence in an " army? What was the Dreyfus, affair but ;': ; that? There is no political influence in th*»|, . German army. None. That 1 army System' % has its grave faults, which, can, easily bo avoided here. In fact, in its entirety iii - would not be applicable at all to our defences, but the curs© of civilian interference ',::' other than Parliamentary influence as to money votes is totally absent.. You.have, y here the finest material for a citizen army. / extant. What a pity to see your able- ;> ; bodied youth r cigarette-smoking, idling around the streets at'nights.. Why not use : it? You compel your children to go •, to >';"' school. . Why not inaugurate a system on .' ■ the Swiss model and compulsorily train your 'able-bodied young men. It is no hardship;, ■ "it is a distinct benefit. " Liberty of the subject infringed." Nonsense! Outside of military duty the liberty of the subject is not a quarter as much* interfered 'with in coun- : : tries outside of t Great . Britain as it is here. Let any French or German Government try to close the hotels at ten p.m. Revolution would bo the outcome. El (N. B.—l • never drink, to it is immaterial to mo personally if they are open, or closed.) This is my proposal; Let some membes move for the appointment of a commission or a commissioner to be sent to Switzerland and Norway. This commissioner not to bo an Imperial officer, but a civilian with mili-J tary training; not a political hanger-on, but a man who will go for the love of his duty* Let him. be paid no royal salary, but ex* '\'X penses out of pocket, and a small salary to V % compensate .him for lost time. . I hold no brief for any organisation or individuals' whatsoever. If you insert this letter you* ,■■.:' ■><■; will perhaps draw, the attention of the( people of Now Zealand to a grave danger 4 and if any good should come of it it will be; t*c?rofc reward enought for A Ti-iiiiUN and a Loyal New ZeaLaMDJ&H