THE DEFENCE QUESTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15234, 22 February 1913, Page 8

THE DEFENCE QUESTION

i •/■'./■ ,;■"- .;;;;:■■/■:■■/■■,. /... COMPULSORY TRAINING. NEED FOR PACIFIC FLEET. MR. E. WRENCH'S IMPRESSIONS. Tnr. honorary organiser of tho Overseas Club, Mr. Evelyn Wrench, accompanied by Miss Wrench, returned to Auckland yesterday., after a 14 weeks' tour through the Dominion. During their visit, tbey have addressed branches of the Overseas Club in every centre of importance from Auckland to Invercargill. Mr. Wreneh made many' interesting observations during the tour, especially on matters perkuning to defence. When a .Herald representative asked him last evening for his opinion on the compulsory military trailing law of tho Dominion, he said ..that he was delighted with tho way ..the people were entering into it. " Even the- lads themselves," -he said, are taking a keen interest in ...their military work, " and that is' an excellent sign. I have read and heard a- good deal about the opposition to the scheme, but as far as I could see, theno was very little, and what there was seems to be diminishing." This led to Mr. Wrench being asked his. opinion of Colonel Seeley's ("British -Minister for War) cabled remark that compulsory service was alien to the nature of the British people. "All I can say to that," said Mr. Wrench, " is that people should ask themselves the ' questiou, ' £2>a the inhabitants of New Zealand any less B'.tish thrji the inhabitants of Britain ltseUV I would suggest that the people at Home who are sceptical oh?"$ the success of compulsory .service should come to Australia and New Zealand and sue, for themselves the successful working of the , -herce. National service, as it has be. ■' adopted in Australasia, has nothing hi i iumou with Continentil militarism, ,V t *, me of the English peop»c 'o '-ot -stand that" " •>rim..g to the sabjert of naval defence, \<L'. Wrench saiil that. as far as New Zealand's position ir:?s ccv.<jerned, affairs were in a rsther nebnloUQ state, but ho had ■■■■-, doubt, that ultimately a Pacific fleet •■ wild'be tho eoM*'-u of the whole pwb c.p. % fleet made. up from Canada, Av..-;':,dL, and New S'lialanc,. The idea that New Zealand to vld be sufficiently protected by a, small div.sion of tho Q'mia fleet was only tinkering with the whole naval question. After Mr. Allen's visit ' Home, however, Mr. Wrench said that fie had no doubt that a satiss'a.otory arrangement retarding the whole q.i.'.'fci.o.. of Pacifiu naval defence would '/e ,«c;ivad at. ./; •/' ,;■ ; '•/'■. ■;',-:'