OUR DEFENCES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 932, 10 January 1890, Page 28

OUR DEFENCES.

From the New Zealand Times, January S.) We should regret che dis-

courtesy that could tempt us to apply the term “ absurd ” to the Evening Post’s

arguments last night in support of its views on the defence question. The Post has a perfect right to its opinions, and we claim no less for ours. But it seems to us that the Post has overshot the mark a little in the eagerness of 'debate. For instance, it lays the greatest stress on the necessity of preparedness at all points to meet and resist a foe deeply versed in the modem system of warfare. This is just what we have contended for ourselves, and hence the proposition to buy ready-made, and for immediate use, what it would take a very long time to manufacture at Home. There is nothing “absurd” or “unpatriotic”inmakingsure and early provision against a possible evil day, and there is nothing “unpatriotic ” in studying the best interests of the Colony by inducing people of our own race, possessing special training in a direction necessary to our requirements, to come and settle among us for a time. We should benefit more ways than one by the introduction of four or five hundred highly trained and skilled men in special lines of warfare, many of them with families j just those lines that are the

most expensive to train along. As we pointed out in our first article on this subject, some of the men so engaged, for, say, five years, would be almost sure to settle in the Colony, and thus the Colony would be all the richer for certain qualifications, and, we may add, costly qualifications that it is so much in need of. We should like to know how long it would take to perfect the system of defence formulated by Major-General Edwards—certainly two or three years. Whereas our proposition would produce substantial effects almost at once —that is, if the Imperial Government responded promptly to the request for aid. Apart from the inexpediency cf causing disturbance by withdrawing so many men from industrial pursuits, there is the probability of serious contingencies having to be early and promptly provided for. Supposing war broke out in the coming European spring, where would this Colony’s defence bo if the lines laid down by MajorGeneral Edwards were exactly followed ? The Colony would be in un certainty and confusion just when the greatest composure and preparedness were in demand. The Colony will do right if it takes some of the advice tendered by the Major-General. Many of his propositions demand instant attention. But there is one part of the report that is a little uncertain. We allude to the recommendations concerning the artillery and submarine miners. Gf these 670 are considered necessary for defence pur* poses, and are to be distributed through the four defence centres. Now this force is exactly on a par with the Permanent artillery, which is not a “ partially-paid ” corps, and it is very doubtful if men of the class could be obtained on ‘ ‘ partial pay.” The report in one place associates them with the permanent artillery, and in another classifies them with the “partially - paid” divisions. It is the artillery and submarine miners and engineers that will constitute the solid nucleus of the Colony’s fighting force, and it should be efficient at all points and always on duty. It would constitute a lump of leaven that would beneficially affect the Naval Brigades if the two arms of the service were brought into judicious touch occasionally. But we take it that the men would have to be on full and not “partial” pay, and in that case it would be very much to the Colony’s advantage to employ its own flesh and blood from abroad at cheaper rates than it could possibly train and pay its own flesh and blood at home ; and, as we have before pointed out, without disturbing the course of industry within its own borders. There does not seem to be much that is absurd and unpatriotic in these arguments. We do not say introduce from outside and displace inside. Let those who constitute the nucleus now hold their own and supplement them, in the way we have indicated, from abroad. After all, the expedient is only temporary. The Colony will not be always hiring men from the Mother Country, but will have its own military colleges and standing army, or else a very superior Volunteer system. But by then Australasian Federation will be a great fact, and much that we know not besides. The face of colonial society will be changed indeed.