DEFENCE SYSTEM CRITICISED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 761, 6 September 1929, Page 1

DEFENCE SYSTEM CRITICISED

Labour Urges Voluntary Training CONSCRIPTION OF WEALTH (The SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. CRITIC. iSING the Oominion’s defence system on grounds of jiolicy and efficiency, Labour members in the House of Representatn es today urged a return to voluntary training. Other members advocated the conscription of wealth in wartime. It was announced that the increased expenditure on naval defence would be temporary.

Discussing the annual report of the General Officer Commanding the Defence Forces of New Zealand, Mr. \V. J. Jordan (Manukau) said that it seemed unreasonable that, while persons convicted by civil court were dismissed from the forces, thereby gaining exemption, other young men, who appealed for very good reasons were not granted exemption. He also submitted that instead of raising the standard of fitness to keep down the number of trainees it would bo preferable to take in those young men who were not as fit, but wanted to serve, and grant exemption to those who did not desire to enter the forces. It seemed to him that those who were physically unfit were more in need of some sort of training than others. He vrged that the country should return to the volunteer system, and should pay more attention to physical training. Mr. H. R. Jenkins (Parnell) urged that the ammunition store at Devonport should be transferred to one of the islands in the vicinity, or to some other place, where it would not be a potential danger to the populace. WAR TO END WAR Mr. F. Waite (Clutha) stated that it was quite wrong to asume that the Great War had ended wars. There had been more strife in. the ten years following that event than in the ten years preceding it. With such facts as naval competition, submarine race, uneasiness in the Balkans, the present relationship between Germany and France and developments in the air and chemical methods of warfare staring us in the face, we had to be prepared. He asked the Minister of Defence whether he had worked out a scheme for conscription of other things besides men in the event of war, and he referred to the French system of conscripting the whole nation. He advocated payment to all people sertfng at Home the same rates as the ordinary soldier in the field received. This, he added, might make war less popular. Mr. H. E. Holland (Bulleri said that the latter portion of Mr. Waite’s remarks practically outlined the Labour Party's 1916 manifesto. He was glad to observe that there had been one convert in the ranks of the Reform Party. Mr. Holland said that world peace was largely dependent on international relationship and arrangement and he asked the Minister what was his attitude toward New Zealand’s signing of the optional clause of the Statute of the International Court of Justice. LABOUR’S POLICY Mr - W. E. Barnard (Napier) said that the Labour Party intended next session to introduce a Defence Bill of ’ t3 OWQ and it might almost be emboldened in consequence of Mr. . fiite s remarks to include some provision for the conscription of wealth ,n th e event of war. He forecast

that provisions for compulsory physical training would be included. Mr. W. J. Brcadfoot (Waitomo) favoured the volunteer system. He added that in the even,t of war the Defence Act should enable by a stroke of the pen the conscription, not only of every man and woman, but of our resources as well. That the power of conscripting wealth existed today was the view expressed by Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs), who said that the Government could achieve this by means of taxation. Mr. A. Harris (Waitemata) defended the present defence system, and opposed the suggestion to grant exemption from service to any section of the community'. He contended that the ultimate result of such a course would be the breakdown of the defence of the country. Mr. T. W. McDonald (Wairarapa) asserted that the volunteer sy'stem would not in any way reduce the efficiency of the defence forces of the Dominion. He believed that the time had arrived for the complete remodelling of our organisation, and that a huge sum of money could be saved without any loss of efficiency'. Mr. Wright added that he believed that some hope for peace existed in the development of devices so deadly that nations would be afraid to go to war. NAVAL ESTIMATES HIGHER The Hou. T. M. Wilford, Minister of Health, stated that the naval defence estimates were £40,000 higher than last year. The explanation of this was that we had not up to the present carried out our undertaking, arranged at the Imperial Conference. It had first been agreed that we should maintain in these waters three cruisers at an average cost of £170,000 a year. Subsequently, it had beeD arranged that we should maintain only two cruisers, contributing £120,000 to the Singapore base and provide the repair docks at Devonport. The maintenance of the Dunedin had actually exceeded the average and had cost £200,000 a year, and the Diomede had cost £IBO,OOO. What we had not done was to improve the Calliope dock at Auckland so that it would be capable of dealing with first-class cruisers. This task was now being undertaken. The increase in naval expenditure would be only temporary. The British Government, realising the state of New Zealand’s financial position, had met this country so fairly in regard to repairs that this Increase would not be permanent. Mr. Wilford agreed that the whole defence system in this country, in common with other countries, required remodelling, but this could not be achieved in the twinkling of an eye. In regard to compulsory training he pointed out that while there were volunteer systems in Britain and Canada these countries had standing armies, whereas New Zealand had not.