A CITIZEN ARMY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13661, 1 August 1908, Page 7

A CITIZEN ARMY.

The Fanners' Union Conference, at Feilding, passed a motion in favour of conipultory military training. That is an excellent' sign. The defence of a country like New Zealand, in caso of invasion, would depend absolutely on the citizeusIf there was no citizen army, the country vfoald lie open to the enemy. Adequuttiy to repel invasion by a sjstem ot forts would mean that every possible landing place in the country would have to ba armed like another Kxonstadt. Any such *jstem -of fortifications, in the case of a country with our coast-line, would cost more millions than are ea&ily imagined as things go; and such a system is necessarily out of the question. At present, bo far as the needs and exigencies of actual warfare are concerned, our forts are not a menace, but, a jest. It is reasonable to defend the principal harbours with some system of mines and so forth; but- that is about as far as defence can go in that direction. In short, it is when the tnesmy landed that the defence of the wuntry would have to begin; and any attempt at defence by the Defence Force, as now constituted, would be.a farce. One can imagine the enemy applauding loudly between his. laughs. We have a small force of volunteers, officered for the most part by gentlemen of unbounded confidence and no special capacity. The story of the yearly manoeuvres is generally a titorv of bunglings and misconceptions; and'if grim reality took the place of the yearlv game, we should find ouiselves very, completely in the mud. The idea of the Farmers' Union the idea of a. citizen army unimpeded by the frippery and offence of militarism—is an altogether excellent idea. What soldiers can do, tne Boers showed cs awhile' ago; but, so Jar a& one can judge by present mdwatioK, that lesson has been already half-forgotten The Defence Force should concern itself with artillery; and the army of the cJUxens should be riflemen. In the training of the young for this citizen army there should be as little obtrusion of and tootfe-tootl* as possible. lney should see that this is a serious business, and not a summer game. They should understand that they are training for hard and dangerous work m case of hateful emergency, and not for display in case of ceremonial. Bra** bands and pipeclay, haw-haw and snufflebust, have no necesearv connection with the art of war; and the less time, is wasted on brass bands and p,peclay, the better-tbe better for the defenders and the better for defence. The farmers have taken an admirably common Lnse view of the position. Let them hammer away. *___ The yearly camps of the Citizen Army should be strictly for instruction and for discipline; and they should be kept as far a , possible away from the ertiw. «• principal business being to «^» f » fl ™'. there should be no special need for swagK er and advertisement. The citizen should agree- that at the camps the strictest possible discipline should be enforced, and the most scrupulous attention to the business m hand exacted. There should_be no canteen. No man was ever hurt by at. staining from alcohol for a week. There should be no jaunts into town . There should, in short, be nothing at aILoTUM nature of playing at soldiering. rbere should be nothing but work and food and sleep Such camps would do a wonderful Amount of good. They would increase the self-respect and stiffen the stamina of tbie young men engaged m them. They would improve the physique and the morals of the nation. In fact, they would make a nation from the raw material of our scattered communities of colonists. They would force back mere games and sports into their due proportions relative to the general scheme.—Wairarapa Age. The above article sums up the defence position very nicely and expresses Mark Higgins' sentiments to the letter. Mark has not too much time to sparo for promulgating these ideas, however, all his time is occupied in selling bicycles and bicvcle requisites, and giving such bargains in" these lines as will make This great cycle sale long remembered. The sale is still on, bargains are plentiful and our readers who have any cycle requirement should certainly get right along and see " the Cycle Man."...