NATIONAL DEFENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6450, 22 February 1908, Page 12

NATIONAL DEFENCE

Air A. Trice Alartin, M.A., F.S.A., headmaster of Bath England, has an article in the current number of tho “Navy League Journal," i n which he makes some excellent points by way of defence of a compulsory system of military training in Britain, in doing so ho strikes the volunteer system . a severe blow bv asserting that it has been supported on the supposition that there is a remote possibility of invasion, a possibility, however, that tho general public do not regard seriously, lie contends, as has, so often been contended in New Zealand, that the duty of protecting a country is the duty of every ablebodied inalo in it, that the volunteer movements depends for its existence on the chance patriotism of a minority of

I men, and that, on the whole, it hr.s done : an infinite harm to the-"nation, people generally having lost the idea that it is , their duly to bear arms if necessary as much as it is the duty of paid professional soldiers. The writer goes on to say that a complete breakdown of the voluntary system would be the greatest possible -"blessing, and that it is the duty of schoolmasters to inculcate the necessity of Uni'.vi-j-al training in boys. Some good points ar° contained in the* following extract: ‘'Difficulties would bo’lessened by .the fact that the individual knew how to handle. the rifle, and how to fire at a fixed target at, a known range, but the difficulty would not be overcome. I, therefor© attach a real importance to the presentment to .the boy of these two parts of the soldier's function, in their right and natural order. The habit of including shooting in the pastime or work of our preparatory schools seems to be a mistake. Shooting, whether at a fair or with a miniature rifle at school, is much more amusing and interesting than drill or gymnastics, and shooting should come after, and not before, tho drill. 1 should like to fee it laid down that while all our boys were in. the end trained to shoot, no boy should Ix 3 allowed to use a rifle until lie had 'gone through a systematic course of physical training and drill. There is another objection with /regard to shooting in preparatory .schools. Boys are apt to get weary of what was at first a delightful novelty, and in many cases the fact that they have been shooting before they come to a public school prevents their taking it up with the keenness and enthusiasm which generally animate* them later when they sire able to handle a real rifle, and to get much more practical good from this | part of the training of the soldier. : "It has, I hope, been made clear that training in drill and in shooting should not, after the age of fourteen, be left to tho voluntary choice of the boy. Tt should rather bo laid down that both should be included in the ordinary curriculum, just as much as the ordinary lessons, and that at least a part of it should be carried out during scho 1 hours. In our big schc-h? where com- , pulsory games are tho rules, this could present no ' difficulty whatever, except the one question of expense, and the expense undoubtedly ought to be included In the fixed fees, whatever they are. that are charged for the education ot 1 the scholar. There could then be i."

question of the ability of the parent to moot an additional charge, l nor should any question be possible as to the inclination of the (pupil to ,learn this part of his duties as a citizen. "There are still some who, whilo they would probably bo the first to try and do something for the country if a foreign army hud established itself on our shores, will, however, in gome curiously perverse way, look upon the work of our Cadet Coups as being nothing but ah attempt to foster a 'military and wrongly aggressive spirit, i'or such ns these it is of little use to point out what is done in Switzerland or other countries, but a sound public ippiniou can ultimately be formed by the right training of the child, and here, 1 think* a really -great responsibility rests upor. the Beard, of # Kd uoation.* The Government iis responsible for the right answer to this question: Is invasion passible? The Government itself clearly believes that it it> possible, even if improbable, and iho Board of Education is bound to. act in accordance with the belief of this or any other Government that in lesponisxble fo- the. safety, of the nation. Much can bo done, no doubt, with our grammar and public schools, but the most important advance that could bo mode would; bo a direct* recognition by the Board of•'Education Unit this is a part of tho education of the children in our primary schools. Here, again, the question of expense need not bo coil' sidered, aa neither rilios nor targets c-r other appliances would be required until after the age of fourteen,"