‘Better use’ by Army

Press, 7 April 1979, Page 11

‘Better use’ by Army

- Wellington reporter The reorganisation of the New Zealand Army does not : mean it will have more or • less money or manpower, but thar they will be put to ; bette- use, according to the . Chief of Army Staff (Major- • General B. Poananga). < The old system had been • designed as if New Zealand • might have to go to war im- • mediately, he said. This ; degree of readiness had ob- • liged an element of duplica- ' tion which the new system • t> r lesser readiness would : • not require.

He was asked what would happen if New Zealand were suddenly faced with a midhigh intensity strategic war, given its treaty commitm e n t s under the A.N.Z.U.S. Treaty. “That would not occur out of the blue,” General Poananga said. “The time it took to build up threats and tension would be the time the Army has to build on its core force, which the new system retains from the old.”

New Zealand’s capabilities, no matter how bigt they grew, and even in a nuclear conflict, would not themselves be nuclear. The level of build-up of forces and the percentage of them deployed would always be subject to Government decision. He denied that the reorganisation meant the Army had lost its overseas capabil: ity, becoming essentially an

internal peace-keeping force such as the National Guard in the United States.

Details of the reorganisation have already been published.

General Poananga said the shifts involved would be phased. They would entail some inconvenience for Arm* staff and families, but most people in the Army moved every two or three years

A new headquarters calied H.Q. New Zealand Land Forces would be established in Auckland at Takapuna on [April 9. This headquarters would combine the operational functions now carried out from Auckland by H.Q. Field Force Command and the base support functions which until its disbandment last week had been carried out by H.Q. Home Command from Wellington. General Poananga has performed the dual roles of Chief of Army Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Army from Wellington. He will continue to hold both posts even though the Land Forces Headquarters is in Auckland. Day-to-day administration in Aucklnad can be handled by the resident brigadier there. The Army is now placed on the same footing as the Navy and the Air Force, having its policy-making functions handled in Wellington but its operational headquarters at Auckland.