THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1908. AN ABSURD VIEW.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9111, 10 June 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1908. AN ABSURD VIEW.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr W. F. Massey) has stated thaj, he is prepared to agree at once to the naval subsidy being increased to £IOO,OOO. The present subsidy, Mr Massey contends, is nothing like adequate proportion to the benefits received in the protection by the Imperial Navy, and he further contends that naval defence is more important than land defence to this country. How Mr Massey arrives at his conclusions we do not know, and we know that there are others who share his extraordinary view upon the question of defence, but it is a view that should be ridiculed, and its falsity exposed by all who can see clearly the real need of this country in the matter of defence. Seeing that so public a man

as Mr Massey hns declared that naval defence is more important to the Dominion than land defence, the National Defence League should challenge the statement, and thereby direct attention to the urgent neceFsity that exists for developing proper land defence in New Zealand. No doubt it is right that New Zealand should contribute, to some extent, towards the Imperial Navy, but to regard that contribution as securing adequate protection to our shores is the veriest rubbish. It seems to us that £IOO,OOO is an unduly large amount for a debt-burdened country like tliis to contribute, but we are not considering the question of what amount the subsidy should be, but emphasising- the absurdity of depending solely upon the British Navy for our safety. New Zealand could, and should, secure its own protection. The future, it is true, lies in the lap of the gods; but it is, also, equally true that we can shape our destiny with our own hands to some extent. Some great international war in the near future might make . it incumbent upon Great Britain to use every man-of-war she possesses in her own defence. One can imagine in a life and death struggle between, say, England and Germany, how much attention would be paid to New Zealand! In the shock of mighty nations at war, small dependencies must be forgotten, and their probable fate regarded lightly. We know that in the past terrible wars of the most widespread character have extended over many years, and there is nothing more certain than that history repeats itself. Supposing—and there is nothing absurd in the supposition —that Great Britain were unable to defend this glorious Dominion, we should probably be quite simply annexed by some great Power that might cast envious eyes upon us, unless we were aole to defend ourselves. It is, therefore, the duty of every country that can raise up its own defence to exert every nerve to do so. National defence should be the first plank in every nation's policy—no sacrifice should be rcgard.ed as being too great to accomplish such an end. Self preservation is the first law of human nature, and the first law of every nation should be the protection of its country. One hundred thousand pounds would go a long way if devoted annually to the purchase of rifles and ammunition, and the payment of drill instructors.