COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 32, 6 February 1913, Page 5

COMPULSORY MILITARY TRAINING.

SYSTEM ENDORSED BY LOCAL FRIENDLY SOCIETY. The question of compulsory military training as in- force in New Zealand was at some length on Tuesday evening last by members of the Druids’ Lodge after business hours. Bro. T. J, Ladd, a “Tommy” of twenty years’ experience, proceeded to show why, in his opinion, the forced soldier was never equal to the volunteer. The officers, he contende, showed. a deplorable lack Of tact in dealing with the raw recruit. Ho mentioned that a lad who lived 20 miles away with two rivers to ford and bad roads, was recently fined for non-attendance. The language used was such as should not be employed by officers towards the learner. I Bro. Ladd quoted instances of battles both in early and recent times in which it was clearly shown that the volunteer was the best soldier. “Why,” he asked, “did the volunteer system fail in New Zealand ” Sintply from lack of encouragement. He further maintained ’ that the amount of money expended by the authorities was unwarranted, and the i - eturn inadequate. In reply, Bro. Clark stated that if the amount mentioned by Bro. Ladd would improve the stamina and general bearing of the New Zealand lad, it was money well spent. It was, quite evident, bo claimed, that the average colonial boy would be greatly by a course of as was being commenced by tlie New Zealand Government.

A Territorial was the next speaker. He, prefaced his remarks by saying that he really should not take part in any discussion on the subject, but that he could not refrain from putting a few facts before them. Firstly, no Territorial was obliged to come to parade who lived more than ten miles from the nearest drill-centre, so that the first speaker had been misinformed on the subject. Every facility to attend was given to the men who lived out of town, and concessions granted to those who really could not get to drill. He had seen men attend their first parade who were not only quite ignorant of the general use of the rifle, but who had no idea how to open the bolt. He believed the system would develop into a good one and greatly benefit those who were being trained. During all, the parades he had attended he had never once heard a word used to the troops which could be taken exception to. As a rule, his experience had been that the officers treated the men with all necessary courtesy.

Several, other members spoke on the subject ,mostly in favour of the compulsory system. One member who had been trained in an English corps declared that no exception could

be taken to the language used by New Zealand officers; the volunteers at Horae were subjected to much coarser treatment.

It was further pointed out that the volunteer system failed in New Zealand not from lack of inducement tp become soldiers, but because the youth of the country did not see the necessity for being trained, and the only course open was to take them in hand under a compulsory scheme whereby not only the willing but also the unwilling would give his share of personal service to the benefit of the State.

The following motion was moved by Bro. East and seconded by Bro. Clark: “That this meeting endorses the action of the New Zealand Government in instituting a system of compulsory military training in the dominion.” On a show of hands being taken the motion was carried by an overwhelming majority.