NATIONAL DEFENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 2 December 1948, Page 5

NATIONAL DEFENCE

(N.Z.P.A.

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Increase Brought About By Far East Menace

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Received Thursday, 10.25 a.m. LONDON, Dec. 1. The danger of new commitments had been illustrated by what ha'd happened in Malaya and the increasing Far East menace, said the Defence Minister, Mr. A. V. Alexander, moving the Second reading of the National Service Amendment Bill, m the House of Comtftons, - which increases the national service period from 12 to .18 months. ; "With the extension of the service we Will be able to relieve the Situation by having more national service men in the overseas commands, and use the more intelligent and skilled men as junior iristructbrs in training. "Among the new facts which have compelled the Government to extend the service are the continuous delays and disa-ppoint-ments in settling the European peace treaties, and the United NatidnS' failure to make substantial progress with those baSic questions which enable us to rely on collective security of the kind We all hope- for."

Mr. Alexander admitted tnat there had been "considerably more misuse of manpower" than there ought to have been. He added that the Government was taking steps to correct this. He said the Government had to steer a -vjery difiicult course between economic risks and the military riSk. Mr. Churchill said that the Opposition Supported the measure for increasing the service period, "but the whole story constitutes not only an error of judgment, but a lapse from public duty under party pressure. There has been no foresight. The time to lay plarts for the postwar army was during 1946. By irresponsibility and constant changes the Government has prevented the service chiefs from dafrying out reasoned plans for the re-establishment of defences on an organised system."