HOME DEFENCE.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 172, 7 August 1937, Page 4

HOME DEFENCE.

A Wellington message received yesterday stated with some apparent confidence that a definite announcement of our Government's defence programme might be expected during the doming week. It is, of course nohe too soon that a decision should be reached and a start made to put it into eEect. At the sarne time, bowever, it can be readily understood that definite conclusions may have had to await full information as to the ultimate effect of the discussions on Imperial defence generally which took place at the Imperial Conference. As to these, as their confidential nature required, very little public disclosure has been made, but there are evidences of an impression in the Old Country that a good deal more was really done than had at first been thought. Doubtless the Prime Minister's return has enabled a fully informed discussion by Cabinet. Great Britain has for long been striving, and still con-. tinues to strive, for the development of more friendly relations and the maintenance of peace among the nations of Europe. Indeed, anomalous as it may on the surfaee appear to say so, the vast scheme of rearmament upon which she has embarked is designed mainly to that end, and this is beginning to be realised even by the European rulers from whom most danger of aggressive action is to be feared. At the same time, however, the situation is so tense in many quarters that it is obviouslv necessarv to be prepared for pacific efforts failing to achieve their purpose. Should it be that, as we may well hope may not be the case, the Motherland becomes involved iii war it is the manifest duty of her oversea dominions to be ready to do all possible in their own defence and so relieve her of anxieties about them that might greatly embarrass her fighting the Empire's cause in the regions where really decisive action would take place. There should therefore be very general agreement with our Government if the programme so soon to be revealed promises to be a fairly comprehensive and effective one so far as concerns the protection *of our own Shores from raids and incursions by an enemy bent on creating for the Old Country as many distractions as possible from concentration in the main field. In our yesterday's message some forecast was ventured as to lines which the Government' s programme would probably follow. The sugges^ions there made indicate that chief reliance will probably be placed upon the aerial branch of our defence force, and this will probably appeal to most as a very sound principle upon which to proceed. Any possible attacks to be made must come from the sea and the further away the means of attack are held the less will be the chance of working destruction to life and property that would doubtless be the main purpose of the assailants. There would probably be no very great prospect of action on land, though that is a possibility that cannot be altogether disregarded. Here, too, warfare has taken so greatly a mechanical turn that modern equipment will be required. 1'hus, of the very greatest moment, with regard to both aerial and land defence is the provision of men highly trained in the use of the mechanical means placed in their hands. Efficiency in this respect is probably of very much greater importance than mere num bers. It will thus be with great interest that information will be awaited as to what has been and is proposed to be done in the way of finding the x men fully qualified to make the best use possible of the machines, whether on land or sea or in the air, that may be expected to prove the deciding factor in present-day warfare.