DEFENCE NEEDS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 11

DEFENCE NEEDS

Call For Strong Lead In Organization

SPEECH BY LEADER OF OPPOSITION “Everybody Should Have Job To Do” By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 28. “I am not satisfied that the Government is genuinely and sufficiently enthusiastic in its approach to the question of defence.” said the Leader of the Opposition, when speaking in Te Awamutu tonight. “It is capitalizing the present international tension to distract people’s attention from the Government’s self-made serious financial crisis,” he continued.

“In the most essential practical manner, organizing of the preparedness of the people themselves, its work is negligible. I want to see a determined lead given to the rank and file of our people. Everybody must have a job to do and know where to go and how to do it. In a time of crisis the Dominion is allowed to maintain organizations worthy of a rabble while conditions demand preparedness, not only in materials but also in organization and men. If Mr. Savage is genuine in his approach to the subject, he will give the lead.

“We must act through the trades unions and through all social and industrial organizations in our community. The trades unions organization is in a good position to co-operate in a community scheme. Let employer and employee alike combine in an effort to drive home the necessity for personal preparedness, self-reliance and initiative in our national defence. “The country is crying out for a strong lead. It is a matter for discussion in terms of hours and days and not in terms of months and years. “I repeat that social security is worthless without national security. It is no good having roads if we have not organized their use by men. It is no good havinf aeroplanes and aerodromes if we do not have sufficient organization to support them on the ground. It is no good having 100,000 able-bodied men with no knowledge of where to go or what to do i>; a moment of peril. It it no good having a civilian population unorganized in co-operative national defence. “Just let us have a strong lead, and I am sure all would show immediately by their responses that we are ready to play a vital part in the preparedness of the British Empire to which we are proud to belong. Let us strut and crow less about generalities and get down to details of the important tasks in hand.”