Stronger Defences Essential

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 5

Stronger Defences Essential

Baldwin on World Outlook NO USE FOR FASCISM OR COMMUNISM (Britisli Official Wireless.) Received Friday, 7.30 p.m. RUGBY, Jan. 28. In a letter to tUe National Conservative candidate in the North St. Paneras by-election, the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, says:— “The issue that dominates all others at the present time is the maintenance of peace. Everything points to a still further improvement in our social and industrial conditions provided we can be assured of security of peace. In order to guarantee our security it is essential we should have stronger defence forces, although we all hope the time is not far distant when we shall be able to persuade other nations to agree to a joint reduction in armaments. “This can only be secured by patient and prudent statesmanship and the avoidance of headstrong courses of action. This country.has no use for Fascism or Communism and it has no desire to be drawn into any conflict between these two extreme creeds.” R.A.F. EXPANSION DEFICIENCY OF PLANES BEING OVERTAKEN (British Official Wireless.) 'IiUGjJy7 Jal’. 28. The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence, Sir Thomas Inskip, gave the House of Commons an outline of the progress so far made with Britain's rearmament programme in relation to air defence. Ho recalled that in the years 1930 to 1934 the average number of airframes and engines was round about 700 or 750 for the whole year for the Royal Air Force; these numbers were only a fraction of what was required in the annual output under the present programme. The present position was that 87 squadrons had been formed, 13 of which were still on a one-flight basis; the other squadrons were over-strength, in personnel with a sufficient number of aircraft for training purposes. He anticipated that 100 squadrons would be formed by the end of March, of which 22 would be on a one-flight basis. If expectations were fulfilled a further 24 squadrons would be completed by July. He estimated that there had been a lag of three or four months on the original schedule but line production was on a slowly rising scale and would become steeper as the months went by. Ho expressed the view that, as problems were solved, the programme would bo fully attained and maintained. NEW ZEALAND SHOULD HAVE 400 PLANES LONDON,' Jan. 28. Inaugurating the Empire Unity campaign at Swansea, Sir E. Page Croft •jail!: “In default of world collective security we should aim at Empire fccmrit.y. We should facilitate loans at tho lowest interest, particularly • ) any Dominion desiring immediately to strengthen her air < e ences.” In this connection the speaker advocated that Canada Australia and South Africa should each havo 1000 fighting planes and New Zealand 400.