10 JUNE 1911, Page 3

Mr. Fisher, the Prime Minister of the Australian Common- wealth,

and other Australian Ministers made interesting speeches on Imperial Defence on Saturday. In reply to an address presented by the Working Men's United Empire League at Sa.ndon Hall, near Stafford, Mr. Fisher said that in Australia they desired to maintain their own land and their own institutions, and to defend their liberty with their last man and their last shilling. Mr. Murray, the Premier of Victoria, observed that military training did not merely make soldiers ; he was honestly convinced that it would make youths better citizens and better qualified in every way to fulfil those manifold duties which fall to the lot of everyone. Mr. Wilson, the Premier of Western Australia, who followed, agreed with his colleagues that Australia was prepared to sacrifice the last life and the last shilling in defence of their country. But he personally would go further and say that they were prepared to sacrifice the last life and the last shilling in defence of the British Empire. Sir Elliott Lewis, the Premier of Tas- mania, also spoke in support of the principle of Universal Training.