SYSTEM TO STAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19994, 20 July 1939, Page 5

SYSTEM TO STAY

VOLUNTARY TRAINING MINISTER EMPHATIC APPEAL TO OPPOSITION ‘GET BEHIND GOVERNMENT* (I’er Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Definitely reaffirming the Government’s determination to maintain the voluntary system in connection with New Zealand's defence, the Hon. F. Jones. Minister of Defence, in the course of a comprehensive survey of the position, reminded the Opposition in the House of Representatives last night that the compulsory service issue which it was now raising was not mentioned by them at the general election, though at that time the Empirew as passing through a crisis.

Compulsory military training was till on the Statute Book. Why. he .sked. had it been suspended by the

preceding Government, representing the party which favoured it now? The Opposition affirmed that defence was not a party measure. They wanted ito be helpful, ibut it was not helpful to raise the compulsory issue when tlie Government was proceeding with a voluntary appeal. Nothing would do more harm to this appeal than the raising of a rival issue. Numbers Will Be Secured However, despite this, the Government was succeeding, for 3522 men had joined the territorial force. There was no doubt that the necessary numbers would be secured, the totaL suggested by the defence conference being 16,000. He feared that the Opposition, when the 16,000 were obtained, would demand 25,000, but he would like to point out that the extra 6000 men who were being obtained would cost the country, foi tiieif training and equipment, over £200,000 more than if the force had been fixed at the 10,000 maximum.

As for the present efficiency of the land forces, the Minister referred to many aspects .of their training and declared that never in the country’s history were they more efficient. They were superior in this respect to the forces trained under the compulsory sytem of former years, when a large portion of the time was spent in chasing boys around because they did not attends drills.

“Get behind the Government, be-

cause you cannot alter the policy of voluntary training without altering the Government,” said the Minister, addressing the Opposition members.

Mr. S. G. Holland (Nat., Christchurch .N.): We are entitled to,our opinion.

The Minister: If it is not political agitation, get behind the Government and say you are going to make the land forces a success on the voluntary basis.