COMPULSORY TRAINING IMMEDIATELY

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1948, Page 5

COMPULSORY TRAINING IMMEDIATELY

Mr. Holland’s Views P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 6. Mr. S. G. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, commenting on the defence policy outlined by Hon. F. Jones, said: — “The Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones), has said ‘the need for an efficient defence force and organisation is clear.’ I say that if New Zealand was able to defend herself with words then we would be about as well equipped as any other country in the world. Mr. Jones’s statement is just about the weakest thing one could imagine. It is colourless and indefinite, and entirely inadequate as a statement of policy. It provides no indication whatever as to how the proposed terrtorial force is to be recruited or when recruiting is to begin; whether the service is to be compulsory or on a train-as-you-please basis, and no information is given as to the terms of service or anything else. It is just a vagus conglomeration of words. “The position is mope satisfactory as far as the Air Force is concerned. Here, at least, the Minister is definite that a territorial air force is to be organised on a voluntary basis with evening and week-end training, and also an annual camp period. Apparently, the new Air Force is to he trained in obsolete equipment for the next four years. Surely, one of the main lessons of the war was that modern equipment is essential in modern times if any force is to be effective. I should have thought that one of the first principles of co-ord-ination in defence would be a peacetime adaptation of the war-time Empire air training scheme, with the difference that in peace-time the most modern aircraft and equipment could be brought to the trainees, instead of sending the trainees to the equipment, as was done during the war. To train men in out-of-date aircraft seems n ost unsatisfactory.” Mr. Holland said the Minister- an r 1 the Government had made up their minds—and if they had not done so, it was time they did—whether New Zealand was to have a compulsory training scheme or not. For New Zealand to carry a more adequate chare of Empire defence would be a practical and worthwhile means of aid to Britain, as well as “doine our plain duty.” N.Z. to Purchase Six Naval Vessels WELLINGTON, March 6. The corvettes, Arabis and Arbutus under Commander L. P. Bourke, will sail from Auckland for the United Kingdom on April 16. Announcing this, the Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones, said the move was consequent upon the decision to acquire six of the most modern type of antisubmarine escort vessels for the Royal New Zealand Navy. After the corvettes have been paid off the. crews will man the first pair of new vessels and bring them to New Zealand towards the end of the year. Conscription Advocated In Invercargill PA. INVERCARGILL, April 6. Mr. D. F. Leckie, President of the Invercargill R.S.A., commenting on the defence policy statement of the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones), said that conscription was the only way to make a success of the proposed territorial force scheme. “It seemed that the intention was to build up a team of young officers to handle the Territorial force which would be established later. Many of these young men had given distinguished service with the N.Z.E.F. The Minister’s statement had caused no surprise. We shall have to wait, and see what form the Territorial force takes,” Mr. Leckie said. “Modern warfare demands a long term policy. It would not be much use holding a few parades., Conscription is on the way. To make a success of it, and attractive terms will be necessary to make it worthwhile —a man should not lose anything because he is fit and healthy.” Mr. Leckie said that the same sort of thing happened following the first World War. Training was suspended immediately it finished. It was in-

troduced again, and was built up very quickly once it got started. FAVOURABLE AUCKLAND COMMENT. PA. AUCKLAND, April 6. ’Recognition of the value of scientific research as an. integral part of peace-time defence was a new and desirable development, said Professor Burdridge, Professor of Physics, at Auckland University College, commenting to-day on the new defence policy. New avenues of employment had opened up for graduates of science and engineering, who would provide raw material for any scienti-. fic defence corps. “Subject to the retention of its free and unfettered status, the Auckland University College’s support of any scientific research project can be assured,” said the College Council president, Mr. W. H. Cocker. He added that the college had not yet been consulted. More N.Z. Men For Forces Suggested By Air Marshal P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 6. The defence policy announced by the Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones, appeared to him to have been thoroughly well thought, out, and to be a very well balanced allotment of the energies which New Zealand was devoting *to defence, said Air Marshal Sir Robert Clark-Hall. The formation of the Scientific Defence Corps, in particular, was new he said, and a very wise step. In view of the prosperity that New Zealand was enjoying, and the desperate condition of the mother country, he felt doubtful, however, if New Zealand was bearing a fair share. It was practically certain that the fighting forces of the British Commonwealth countries, and perhaps of the United States as well, would be again fighting side bv side if another war, unfortunately. broke out. Neither the figures for the Dominion’s own army, nor the financial expenditure, were yet announced, but, as far as allocation of man power to the navies and air forces was concerned, the contribution per million of population was roughly as follows: United Kingdom, 8000; the United States 6600; New Zealand 3400. This does not seem a very fair distribution, concluded Marshal Clark-Hall.