MILITARY TRAINING AND “SPORT.”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7870, 4 August 1911, Page 4

MILITARY TRAINING AND “SPORT.”

The opinion of Mr Jorrooks that anything which interfered with his cherished pastime of “ ’untin’ ” should be put down by law is recalled by the extraordinary telegram which will be found in another column relating' to the anxiety in “ sport and athletic circles ” in Auckland at the possibility “ of serious interference with both summer and winter games, on account of half-day and whole-day parades being fixed for statutory half-holidays.” Apparently a certain section of the young men of Auckland are grievously concerned at the possibility of having to shoulder a rifle and be subjected to a few hours healthy physical training on half a dozen days a year instead of being able to rush off in their, thousands to various sports grounds, there to puff cigarettes and to “ barrack/’ The utter absurdity of the plea that military training—if carried out on statutory holidays—will “ prove detrimental to all sport ” can be realised at once by anyone who will take the trouble to calculate how many other days are left wherein to play games—or 'look on at those who play them—• throughout the year. The average New Zealand youth is never particularly keen about anything which involves obedience to orders and respect for discipline, but, as a matter of fact; the governance of his conduct in matters of military training rests not with him but with his parents. And' by this time, so we should imagine, the average New Zealand parent must have come to the conclusion that a little discipline, oven of the military variety, is vastly preferable in the interests of Young Now Zealand to an absolutely undisturbed enjoyment of “sport.” The defence system is here, and is here to stop. It is costing the country a heavy annual ram* and the

country has a right to expect that it shall get value for the money. To secure this, consideration of personal convenience and pleasure may occasionally have to be sacrificed. The fact that a young New Zealander attended so many football matches in. a year would be of little service to himself, his parents, and his country if he were called upon to do his share in protecting the country against a foreign foe. This latest Auckland agitation is oven more egregiously stupid than some of its predecessors. And this is saying not a little.