Air Power Vital To N.Z.'s Defence

Chronicle (Levin), 15 June 1948, Page 3

Air Power Vital To N.Z.'s Defence

AUCKLAND, June 14. "In .1940 it was the Battle of Britaia. In J06G it may be, the. Battle of New Zealanii; saiu feir^^eith I^ark, wartijne Air Force leader, addressing h Ilotary luncheon today on tho influence of air power in war. " War is a wasteful and inetiicient mcthod of arbitration, yet, although Uuited Nations is u line ideal, tho risli of war has not becn rOmoved/ ' he said. v The Britisli Empire must be defended and a proper balauce of arxned i'axces was osscntial. In Hritain the Gove.rnment had declared tho ROval Air Force the first line of defence. It was esse.ntial to romain air-minded. The Air Forco Association was 500,000 strong in Britain and was well establishod in Australia. New Zealand, however, was lagging, and he warncd that this drii'l could be dangerous. "Our rccruiting for the Anuy and Air Force in New Zealand is going very slowly, " continued Sir Keith. He had aslced the Chief of tho Goueral Slait (Major-General Sir Norman Weir) liow Ihe Army rccruiting was going and the reply was: "Rotten!" To the sajne question the Chief of the Air StalT, Air Vice Marslial A. de T. Nevill, rcplied: "Not so good!" Sir Keith said he was disappointed that former mombers of the Air Force in New Zealand wero not so well provided for as they were in Britain, 1 South Africa and Australia. In Britain there was an Air Force Association moro tliun 250,000 strong to keep men of the last war togethor and to see that the nation did not go to seed, but was prepared. Au appeal would be Jauiiched later this year to provide a proper centre for the Air Force AssociaLion.