NO RELAXATION IN REARMAMENT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 27, 26 October 1937, Page 5

NO RELAXATION IN REARMAMENT

(British Official Wireless.)

Britain Will Go Through With it MINISTER'S SPEECH

(Received 26, 8.45 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 24. Sir Thomas InskTp, Jimister of Defence, in a speech, said there would be no relaxation buE rather an intensifieation of tlie Government' s rearmament programme. Britain bad; counted the .ost and would go through witli i.t. There was now a formidable list of Government factories of all sorts, built or being built, and desigued on a scale commensurate. with tlie rearmament programme. The Government was determined to proceed with the programme — it would not be abated uor delayed for a single moment — not for aggression but solely for defence and so that the British foreign policy might be consistent with the greatness and dignlty of the country and ahle to- play fts useful part in the pacification of the world. Sir Samuel Hoare, speaking at Newcastle on the air defence -precautions, said it was a depressing commentary that in 1937 civilisation should be forced to defepd itself with gas masks in underground cellar and human beings had to be taught once again to become cavemen. But they had to see to it that, until the world regained its sanity, t^10 priceless treasure of British civilisation should not be endangered. Efforts should be concentrated on every possible defence and first, of course, on the Air Force — and the British had the best-trained Air Force in the world — then searcklights, anti-air-craft guns and on ground protection by a willing and numerous personnel /with efficient equipment of fire brigade.appliances, gas masks and decontamination material. Thus, with united efforts, they wooild build up a system ensuring the two principal objectives — -prevention of panic and a continuance of essential services.