MILITARY DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20723, 17 November 1930, Page 10

MILITARY DEFENCE.

INADEQUACY DEPLORED. GENERAL YOUNG'S REGRETS. ADDRESS TO EX-SOLDIERS. [nr TELEGRAPH.—PnESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Sunday. In stating that his soldiering was now coming to a close, Major-General R. Young, oflicor commanding tho Now Zealand Forces, said at the annual rounion of tho Wellington Regiment last evening that it was his great wish to " leave a good show behind him" in the way of a permanent defence force beforo he retired from his present position.

" I have novcr been quick at sending tho ' 5.0.5.,' " said Goneral Young, " and lam not going to send it yet. If I do, though, I know there will bo many who will stand by me. lam coming close to the end of my soldiering. I would like to leave a good show behind mo. Six or seven months ago I could have said that was the position. I must leave behind me a good permanent force and if I do that then Now Zealand will bo all right whatever may happen. " I would like you in your general talk to emphasise that one of the best things you can have, if you cannot Jjave a territorial force, is a good permanent force that can get out at the sound of the first gun."

Reference to tho present position of the defence forces was also made by several other speakers. Colonel G. H. Hall, formerly president of tho Wellington branch of tho Returned Soldiers' Association, said it was indeed greatly to bo regretted that those who had given service and had dono so much in training in tho old days now saw beforo them a state of affairs that would provide no adequate defence force in future. "It behoves us," ho said, " to rally round and help to rnako tho defence scheme an efficient one in every way." If he were a young man and were ablo to do so, he would start a company to-mor-row. Tho training which those present and others in a similar position had gono through would be lost to those following on for the next 10 or 15 years.