SOUTH AFRICA

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 302, 5 December 1936, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICA

NEW DEFENCE MEASURES ORGANISING THE COMMUNITY. Intervening on April 27 in the Budget debate in the Union House of Assembly, the South African Minister for Defence (Mr. Pirow) outlined the revised five-year plans for local defence occasioned by the deteriorating international situation. South Africa, he said, is not preparing for war in ‘he near future. “We are merely taking those elementary precautions which every nation must bear in mind If it values its freedom and independence. The problem of defence resolves itself into the question of how, within the limits of men, material and money available, we can meet an attack by a powerful invading force." He added that invasion by enemy air forces must particularly be considered. The original defence plan contemplated by the end of 1938 making available the following strength: "(1) Ten batteries of artillery. “2) Six infantry brigades at peace strength, plus units from the special service and pioneer battalions, a total of about 15,000 of all ranks. Within three months of the outbreak of war the number of trained men would be brought up to

55,000. In addition, 90,000 riflemen could be mobilised when required. "(3) Four squadrons of fighters and bomber-fighters, of 13 machines each, and a reserve of 24, giving a total of modern fighting aircraft of 76.

AIR FORCE TRAINING. "Events on the African continent have called for a revision of some of these calculations. One immediate reac'lon has been to provide the following further defence measures:— "(1) A scheme for training pilots, mechanics, and artisans, which at the end of five years from now should at any time give us 1000 pilots and 3000 mechanics and artisans. "(2) The formation of an antitank battalion equipped with the most modern anti-tank weapons, and capable of being transported by air in non-fighting aircraft available in the Union over a distance of 500 miles within 48 hours. "(3) The formation over the next five years out of civil aircraft in the Union of not less than 12 squadrons —of five each-—of high-powered multi-engined bombers. "It is by no means certain that within the next five years our present preparation will still be adequate, bearing in mind the lessons of the Abyssinian campaign and the phenomenal progress in aircraft construction. We may find in a year or two that South Africa requires three times the present number of first-line aircraft an" a proportionate increase in trainin aircraft. Existing arrangements would, without undue strain, lend themselves to such an expansion." INDUSTRIAL MOBILISATION.

Mr. Pirow referred to diffculties in obtaining in a hurry equipment from overseas, especially with Brittsh factories working at pressure to supply Britain’s own needs. The Government was, therefore, preparing to erect munition and aircraft factories within the Union. A special Cabinet sub-committee had charge of this investigation. An elastic industrial mobilisation plan would assure a supply of necessary stores without dislocating civil requirements, and without that measure of profiteering which seemed in the past to have been bound up with supply in time of war. The mining industry, with its labour armies and experts, could afford greet help, '-here has been frequent and cordial consultation between the Conn ittee of Imperial Defence and our ncrthern neighbours in British Africa, in connection with the building up of their air force or other means of defence, will be theirs on the same generous basis that Britain has applied to us.” VALUE OF MILITARY TRAINING.

Turning to the restored national military training system, the Minister said: “Our military training is intended to make better citizens and better South Africans of the young manhood of the country. Annually ws have in training 13,600 citizen soldiers, of whom one-third are passed out each year. Our cadets now number 20,000, of whom 5000 pass out annually. The output of the special service battalL.i is 2000, and that of the pioneer battalion about SCO per annum. We are doing our best to make soldiers of these young men and lads, but the primary object is to make good citizens of them, and however much military necessity may compel us to change or expand our defence scheme, that object will remain olir most important object.”