THE MILITARY SPIRIT OF THE COLONIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7070, 11 April 1901, Page 1

THE MILITARY SPIRIT OF THE COLONIES.

Nothing is more encouraging for the future of this great Empire than the inexhaustible loyalty of the colonies (says "Broad Arrow"). After fifteen months of warfare the loyalists of South Africa, Dutch and! English, hay& responded to Lord Kitchener's call as though tl--3 campaign were about to begin. Only that we are not an imaginative race ive should marvel at it, sines it is the outward expression of a spirit unique in the growth of empires. Even more remarkable is the military enthusiasm of the Australasians. They, unlike the Afrikanders, are not fighting for their homes and everything that is dear to them; they are fighting for the King and the integrity of the Empire to which they belong. Up to the New Year they put eight thousand men ir the field 1 , and are willing to send as wany more as the Home Government wil^ permit. Three thousand are to leave Australia, and two thousand from New Zealand for South Africa,, and thess are only a fraction of those who sent in their names. Canad.i is to provida a thousand 1 men for Baden-Powell's Police. What would any military nation in the world not give to have the services of such, stalwart sons at its disposal? We are not a military nation, but we Irave resources such as no empire dreamed of, and the sooner we become a military nation, in the best' sense of the term, the sooner we shall present a front to our enemies as strong as it is at present weak. This is recognised in the colonies as well as in England. Hence, some scheme of Imperial defence should be evolved, which will eriaV.e us to endure the strain of a great war without throwing our military system into chaos. The main fact to remember is that the colonies will never be recruiting grounds for the' regular Army in peace time. They will raise large bodies of mounted infantry, which will be trained 1 on the understanding that they are to serve anywhere when the necessity arises, and permanent forces as they have at present, but they will not add ro the strength' of regular regiments. The great thing is to have the colonial Militia and Volunteers trained on the same system as that adopted 1 in this country, to have them provided with similar weapons, and for the Home and Colonial' Governments to work together on a well-recognised plan of defence. There are difficulties in the way, but they are not insuperable.

With regard to deer-stalking licenses, it appears to be the intention of the Colonial Secretary's Department that no" sportsman shall take more than six head dn a season. •The post-master at Nelson has been instructed to recall a second license issued to a sportsman who had taken the full number of deer permitted by the first license. The colonial mails per Oruba, which left Melbourne on March 6, were delivered 1 in London on April 7 — due date. Tie mails by the Miowera, from Sydney, on Feb. 27, were delivered in London <m April B— five days late. The Aotea left Monte Video for London on the morning of April 9. The Waiwera arrived at London on th« morning of April 7.