DEFENCE OF PACIFIC

Evening Star, Issue 23693, 28 September 1940, Page 12

DEFENCE OF PACIFIC

DOMINIONS AS VITAL LINKS TRIBUTE TO NEW ZEALAND Lord Lothian, in a speech on Dominion Day at the New Zealand pavilion at the World’s Fair, said: — “ I doubt whether many Americans realise the significance of New Zealand and Australia from the viewpoint of United States security and defence of the Pacific. Some regard them as isolated nations looking for help from outside. It is true that both rely mainly on the British Navy for long-dista.nco defence, but they are able to contribute much for the security of the Pacific from their own strength. The Air Force alone is turning out 25,000 trained airmen annually. If the dictators challenge the security of Singapore or the Dutch islands in the southern Pacific they will encounter formidable resistance from New Zealand’s and Australia’s ever-growing organised strength. “ New Zealand inaugurated half a century ago many social reforms which arj now commonplace in every modern democracy. New Zealand has not succumbed to the philosophy of pacifism in international affairs, with preoccupation on individual comfort, which rotted many democracies. She is making an effort even greater than she made in the World War to defend free civilisation against totalitarian aggression.”

Lord Lothian outlined New Zealand’s and Australia’s war effort, and recalled that the Achilles was manned by New Zealanders,