BRITISH DEFENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19990, 15 July 1939, Page 5

BRITISH DEFENCE

REFERENCE IN COMMONS CREDITS FOR ALLIES AIR FORCE EXPANSION EFFORTS NEVER GREATER (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 12 noon RUGBY, July 14 Tlie bill, which increasing the guarantee power of the Board of Trade to enable credits totalling £60,000,000 to be given to friendly foreign countries for armaments and other purchases in the United Kingdom was given a second reading in the House of Commons without division.

The debate' Was notable for a declaration by tlie Labour spokesman. Mr. E. W. Pethick-Lawrcncc, who. speaking of figures of expenditure and loans attributable in the last resort to defence needs and policy, said they were of fantastic dimensions, but they should net conceal from themselves that they might not yet be at the etui.

What, he asked, was the position of the Opposition in tlie face of such facts 1 and prospects? And he answered: “They are like people living in a house and realising that those in charge were at last taking steps to make it unlikely that a conflagration would break out."

The Minister for Air, Sir Kingsley Wood, speaking at the new Rolls Royce factory at Crewe, said that except in tlie late .stages of the Great War, Britain had never in her history made such great efforts in connection with air defence.

The increase in personnel requirements, together with various measures that had been taken to augment the effectiveness of tlie air force, had made it necessary to submit a supplementary estimate for a further increase of 32,000 officers and men in the strength o. me air force service and for a vote oi the further substantial sum of £40,000,000. This brought the gross total votes for the air services to the new high level of £260,000.000 for the year.