COMPULSORY TRAINING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15396, 7 March 1912, Page 8

COMPULSORY TRAINING

RELEASE OF A DEFAULTER. j (Pie United Prisb Association.) ( WELLINGTON, March 6. t The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph W.wl), ' who is also Minister of Defence, an- ' nouncod to-day that the Cabinet had do- s cidcd to release voting Cooke, of Christ- ' church, from gaof, where he was serving ( ft sentence of 14 days' imprisonment. < Thi6 has been done with tlie concur- i renco of the Commandant (General God- I •v), explained Sir Joseph Ward. " The < act_ having been allirmeu on a second oc- i casion, thcro is no desiro to vindictively 1 push it further. Cooke will therefore be , released at once." j COMMANDANT INTERVIEWED. ! IPKU Unitkii PRESS ABBOou'f'Os.j 1 WELLINGTON. March 6. 1 "It .has been said that the defence , authorities havo persecuted live boy Ccoko ! by bringing him u|l a second timo," remarked Major-general Godley (Comman- < dant of the New Zealand Fortes) to a \ New Zealand Times rotwesenlalive, when < his attention was called to the fact thai < Cooke «had been obliged to go to gaol 1 a second timo owing to persistant non- j compliance with the act and refusal to l«y the lino. " All I can say is lihat nothing is further from the wish of myself or the defence authorities than that , men should suffer imprisonment on account of this scheme. in fact, sooner than liave it said that the department wished lo persecute'anybody, 1 would like to see the Government release him. I would like you aleo to note that in Australia Cadets who absent themselves from (Jrill 1 .arc placcd under detention for a period 1 corresponding to the drills.missed, but I : still hopo that it may be possible for our scheme to go on without having to resort to that system." At the Other end of the scale are to be ..found many enthusiasts, as General ' Godley indicated in a conversation about his recent visits to four of the Territorial camps. "fn Ola go and Southland I came across meti who had been rejcctcd on account of physical unfitness, but who insisted upon attending drills. The defence authorities were in a great difficulty to know how to deal witli such cases, and 1 decided thai we would refuse nobody. Wc must try to devise somo method of utilising tho services of such willing and enthusiastic men." After visiting four out of five camps at which New Zealand Territorials aro training, Major-general Godley has rcltimed lo Wellington thoroughly pleased with his experiences. "In spi'to of inclement weather the attendances have averaged 80 per cent.," he told a New Zealand Times reporter. " The absentees are accounted for by men who have changed their place of rcsidenco or have elected to come under the ' casual' category, enabling them to train later with another regiment. This elasticity about the period of camp training docs away Willi any serious hardship to individuals engaged* in particular occupations where there is periodic pressure of work. Take for instance, 'Hie late harvest has been a factor in postponing the training of large numbers, and we propose lo postpone a whole encampment in Taranaki for that reason." When questioned about the personnel and spirit of the camps. General Godley replied " I was very much pleased with the good physiqne and the excellent appearance of the men who have been at these camps. They arc zealous and enthusiastic. Thirty or forty' of the 15th North Auckland Regiment at Whangaret actually rode 60 miles so that they could get to'camp in time." Is there anv sign of dissalisf.-ictionover the element of compulsion? " I sec nothing except the protests of a small section outside,' replied the General. " There is not the faintest suspicion of resentment about the men in camp. Many who came reluctantly, being alittle bit afraid of what was going to happen, have expressed themselves as having spent a happy time, and they arc looking forward to next season's camp. Several Wellington employers o£ men who camped at Oringi have commented on tho fact that their men enjoyed it." PASSIVE IiESISTERS IN AUCKLAND. (Fbou Ocn Own (.'OR&nsMxiiEN'T.t AUCKLAND. March 6. Forty-six young men, most of them flaunting on* their breasts tho initialled red ribbon that betokens membership of the " Passive Registers' Union," were summoned to appear before Mr E. C. Cutt-rn, S.M.. this afternoon to pay th? penalty of refusing to undergo military training. The cases were, ultimately adjourned till to morrow. While the passive resisters were .waiting outside the courthouse to-dav until summoned to line up before his Worship they amused themselves by a little high-principled orator}'. Several speakers took a turn on the box. and tliey all urged united action to make a fight to a finish. If 30 or 40 went to gaol, it was said, that would put a nail in the colHn of conscription. Strangely enough, they all promised not to go to aaol, but to pay fines time and time again.