Minister Reviews Position Of Forces

Chronicle (Levin), 5 January 1949, Page 3

Minister Reviews Position Of Forces

press Association)

(Per

AUCKLAjNJJ, Jan. 4. Plans for tlie peacetime development of tlie tliree armed services in New Zealaud during 1919, were briefly reviewed by the Minister of tDefeuce, Mr. Jones, on his arrival from Wellington by air. The Territorial Air Force and Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer fteserve are already under way, Mr. Jones said. As far as the Territorial Arruy is conccrncd, the maehinery now existed and the question to be decided was the method of recruitment and wlien re^ cruitment would begin. liecruiting for the permanent forces would also be continued. Morc men were being needed in all tliree services. An effort was being made lo recruit additional men not only to mahe up for those who were leaviug the forces at the end of their terms of service but also to increase the strengths. A certain number of men was coming from Britain and quite a number of those in the new frigates were ex-Royal Navy men who liad applied for service with the Royal New Zealand Navy. Being experienced seameu, tliey were most welcome. Asked about the possibility of an earlv d-ecision to buy newer warplanes to equip the .Royal New Zealand Air Force and to replace existing Mosquitoes and Dakotas, the Minister said the present aircraft would serve the Dominioii's needs for soine years. IIowever, an effort was being made to build up a fund so that when the time camc to buy new planes, tlie money

would be available to go'a long way toward their cost. The Government wanted to buy British aircraft but had not vet decided on the most suitable tvpes. The "Mosquitocs would serve for about another four years and he thought that the Dakotas used both by the Air Force and National Airwavs Coi'jpora tion, would serve for perhaps . five years more. ' ' If an air service is to be established eventually to link the • South Island with Australia, in my opinion it will be a State service," Mr. Jones replied when asked if the Government had plans to expand the existing Tas- ■ man service. lie aclded that an impression existed that Australian National Airwavs had applied for permission to run the Tasman service but ueither he nor his ohicers knew of an}' sucli application.