AIR DEFENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1929, Page 7

AIR DEFENCE

NEED FOR COMBINED FORCES

SIR .JOSEPH’S WARD’S REPLY TO DEPUTATION.

WELLINGTON, April 18.

The necessity for revising the New Zealand defence system along the lines oi iiHKicrn air (level. ipineut.s was re.erred t > i.y the Prime .Minister to-day 111 replying l<> a deputation from the New Zealand •,rauci.es of the Navy Dengue. Sir .Joseph Ward hinted at the probability of submitting proposals to Parliament during the coming session, but lie depreciated any attempt at making hasty changes. T lic*y must be made gradually.

Sir Joseph said lie thought it was not too much to sav that a tremendous change was coming in defence methods all over the world, and this country was no exception. Jt would he impossible for New Zealand to organise a double detail defence system. The value of aeroplanes as a. certain successor to a large extent of the other forces of national protection was undoubted. All the mem hers of the Ministry recognised that we must prepare our defences in the air to a much larger degree than had been clone already, but we could not maintain at full strength

two independent systems of land defence and defence of the air, to say nothing of under-sea forces. The change to suit the new conditions could not be given effect to in a. hurry. It had to be a gradual process, and when the time arrived for the proper development the system would certainly involve a com illation of the present land forces, and the new forces of tlie air. The Government of Now Zealand, no matter what Party was in power, could not afford to be indifferent to the necessity for such a combination. It would lie a mistake to push forward the air defence system too hastily at present. Sir Joseph assured tlise deputation that the representations which they had made in regard to the provision o t suitable forces of the Dominion would receive consideration by the Government, and he added that probably it might be during the coming session. They would have to submit for the consideration of Parliament the necessity of giving effect to tlie change in system which was being forced upon them oy the marvellous development of air defence methods. That would not necessarily involve bringing into operation a more expensive system, than we had already.

No one wished to take action in such matters with a view to provoking war. said the Prime Minister. He recognised that the. Navy League was trying to educate the Empire as to the need for peace. We wanted ponce throughout the world, hut we qualified that statement l>y saying that unfortunately we could not assure peace. War might lie forced on the Old Country and our duty was to do our part in protecting her as well as our own shares. We must work towards peace, but be ready so that if we were forced into war wo did not find ourselves in an inferior position to those against whom we had to fight. He hoped it might, ho mnnv years before we were forced into another such conflict as the Great War.