THE FARMERS AND THE ARMY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8794, 25 July 1914, Page 4

THE FARMERS AND THE ARMY

The best day’s work done for a. long time is the day’s work which Sir Alexander Godley put in, justifying tho military system of this country to the representatives of tho Farmers’ Union. It was in his power to do what some soldiers we have seen would have done with pleasure. They would have routed the farmers with horse, foot, and dragoons, and followed them up with peremptory demand to know what the dickens they meant by it. Sir Alexander is of a school that works by better methods. He explained the system with a clearness much improved by a courtesy which firmly declined to permit any wandering beyond limits of safety drawn with broad generosity. He admitted freely the difficulties of the situation in the country, and here his conduct showed in brilliant contrast to the old martinet methods. The farmers felt the sympathetic touch of a knowledge which surprised them by being as good as their own. They felt also as the General talked that they had a right not only to a grievance, but to its reasonable remedy. It was with the remedy that Sir Alexander followed up his first encounter. He showed them tho need for the concentrat on camps recommended by Sir lan Hamilton, explained the merits of them, proved how'certainly they will make the foundations of a sound military system which places town and country, by differing methods, on the same footing of efficiency. From that ho proceeded to show the need for eific’ency. Had the Boers been efficiently trained and organised, he told them, as competent*, soldiers have often said who, like the General, had seen the whites of Dutch eyes under fire, the Boers would have -won in the great war. Completion of the whole case buttressed by promise of immediate application of prepared remedy for country grievance, nrcduced conviction overwhelming. We compliment the General on Vs successful handling of one of the most difficult problems in our military system.