DEFENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1933, Page 3

DEFENCE

AUSTRALIA’S -WEAKNESS

DECLINE IN ALL BRANCHES

SYDNEY, February 12

The recent announcement, by the Minister of Defence, Sir George Pearce, that there will be an early review of the defence position in Australia early in the new financial year ha, 3 be f ,n warmly in many quarters. However, any suggestions that, there will bo a return to the days of universal military training are not regarded seriously. It: is argued that such training has never, been very (successful and that the' results obtained were not in keeping with the tremendous costs.

The question of .economy ruled the decision to cease compulsory training and institute the voluntary system, but the few volunteers now in training to-day tend to prove that 'Australia is far from being a mVitaristic 'nation. At the samp time, reasonable people contend that Australia must defend its shore, -3 and that at present it is totally unp-epared for any danger that nrght arb-e. Its shores have been described ag “the most undefended” in the world. . INADEQUATE AI'R FOFCE.

.Air force authorities express the view that the number of fighting ma"h : ,nes po r se-i-;ed by 'Avistralia is ouit e inadequate for active service. There are 32 general purpose planes and s : x fighters. If Australia were attacked all these plants' coulq not be l? ent to the scene c f action, as some would be needed for training purposes. An attacking force would’ prbh'alily'lilv'e a. few fiiitfdred''mkbhii'ies. Tito Royal ''Ail'sW»nh Air Force fins a total strength; of 730 ire: 1 and 100 officers. In the early stage,? of it,-? development the strength was more than 1000, and it was expected that by now it wpuld be double that number. According to naval authorities,, the personnel of th e Ro v a] Austral 1 an Navy has dropped from 5000 in 1920 to and there are four ships in commission, compared with 23 after the war. Australia .now has only two cruisers of the 10,000-ton type—a type which the British Navy liras decided to abandon—a seaplane carrier which was regarded as obsolete before its completion, and the destroyer Tattoo. ■ -OBVIOUS WEAKNESSES. When the Prince of Wales visited Aus. Iralpi after the war there was a -fairly good squadron to welcome him. The battle-cruiser Australia, the cruisers Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and. Encounter, ,-everal -submarines, destroyers and sur-vey-ships were in commission. The Adelaide and Brisbane are 6 till in reserve, but both arc more than 15 years of age, and over the age limit. A . fortnight ago .naval. exercises were held on the' Sydney-Auckland trade route, and, according to one expert, they showed how .seriously exposed to danger the wheat and wool ships would be owing to lack of cruisers.

The appearance last week of. strange craft on the northern seaboard of .(Australia has emphasised the geriousness of th. 3 position. Fo;r the last 50 years Japanese vessels' -have been. - exploiting these waters and ,no definite action hasbeen taken to deal with them. For three years there-has been no exchan "p of British and Australian cruisers, with th e i-eoult that the Australian personnel, because of lack of training facilities, is getting backward. Australia’s military weakness is obvious. Not long ago 60,000 were in training. N°w the,re are only 27,000 and the number is dwindling every month.