NATIONAL SECURITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1938, Page 8

NATIONAL SECURITY

LEAGUE DEPUTATION WAITS ON MINISTERS + POSITION OF LAND FORCES DISCUSSED. CONFIDENT DECLARATION BY PREMIER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A deputation from the New Zealand Defence League, led by the Hon W. Perry, M.L.C., waited on the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, and the Minister of Defence, the Hon F. Jones, to urge the need for more active defence measures, particularly in bringing the Territorial force up to full established strength, and offered its assistance to the Government. Mr Perry, who is Dominion president of the league, was supported by Mr W. H. Barnard, president of the Wellington branch. Replying, Mr Jones outlined what had already been done and stated that the Government, which was guided by the advice of experts in New Zealand and Britain, was fully alive to its responsibilities. There were certain things, however, which it was undesirable to make public. Mr Savage said that according- to military officers the Dominion was in a better position today than ever before. TERRITORIAL STRENGTH. “We agree that substantial progress has been made by the Government in the provision of naval and air defence,” said Mr Perry, in the course of his statement on behalf of the deputation. “Where our disappointment lies, and we take it that it is shared by the Government, is in the failure of the young men eligible to join the territorial land forces ’of the country.” The Minister of Defence had himself expressed disappointment, stating that the strength of the Territorial force was 7400, 1600 below the establishment of 9000, and that of the 7400 men only 41 per cent had attended camp in the year.

“We place ourselves at the disposal of the Government to help get those 1600 men and more if required to increase the establishment,” said Mr Perry.

Mr Perry went on to refer to resolutions passed at a public meeting in the Wellington Town Hall on March 24. The league believed that young men should be encouraged to join the Territorial forces, he said. It was suggested that pay might fie increased, that men who had done their training efficiently might be granted a free railway pass for their annual holidays, that an appeal might be made over the air, that displays of the military forces might be held to stimulate public interest, that infantry drill might be made more interesting by including training in the use of machine-guns and probably heavier guns, that recruiting sergeants might be employed, —in this connection the league offered the use of its premises in Lambton Quay—and that an appeal might be made to all the sporting bodies in New Zealand in which young men were found. “If war comes, what we want are soldiers, not recruits,” said Mr Perry. “We offer our assistance. We have tried and will continue to try to make the volunteer military training system a success, but if it is found that it is not successful we will have to consider whether it is necessary to advocate the adoption of a national system in New Zealand.” DEFENCE MINISTER’S REPLY. “I don’t think any of the points raised this morning are new —practically all are being attended to in one way or another,” said Mr Jones. At Dargaville he had set out to give an idea of what the Government had done, and he thought the public appreciated that it had done something. There were, however, things that could not be talked about. For instance, questions had, oh occasion, been asked about the range of guns; that could not be discussed. The Government realised that circumstances arose daily which might alter all its plans; it was in close touch with the British authorities, and from time to time received confidential reports from the Committee of Imperial Defence. The Defence Council had spent days discussing reports from the chiefs of staffs of the three services and organising for national security. "We realise that there is still a lot '.o be done; we haven’t finalised our plans for the defence of New Zealand, but the people will have to wait until we can make a statement,” Mr Jones said. SOME UNFAIR CRITICISM. “I don’t think the criticism of the Land forces is altogether fair,” Mr Jones continued. The reorganisation of the land forces had been undertaken last for specific reasons. General Duigan had brought down a reorganisation plan, including mechanisation of the forces, and this, with certain alterations, had been adopted. However, it was impossible to do everything in a few months. It was admitted that attendances at camps were not satisfactory, and it was hoped to improve them by various means. Civil servants had the right to take 12 days' special leave each year for military training. The help of employers was sought, and many were making up to their employees the difference between their military and their ordinary pay.

“It is not true that there has been any apathy and that I have been pre-

vented from developing the forces as they should be,” Mr Jones observed in concluding. “What has been done couldn’t have been done’ unless I had received the full support of the Government to develop what I believe will be an efficient force. May I say again that, although we can’t tell everything, we ask the people to believe that we are fully alive to our responsibilities.” MR SAVAGE’S ASSURANCE. Stating that he had made it clear at the Imperial Conference that New Zealand wanted to be a link in the defence chain of the British Commonwealth of Nations, Mr Savage said the Government was going to do more than just talk about defence. When it got a scheme it was satisfied with, it was going to go straight ahead, but there was more to be done than just spend money. The use of gas-masks had been considered, but it was agreed that, while it was important for Britain, it was not so for New Zealand. “Is there any serious reason to believe that we may have gas attacks in New Zealand?” asked Mr Savage. The expert opinion was “no,” and if there were any attack it would be spasmodic. New Zealand’s task would be to deal with any such spasmodic attack. “Experts agree,” stated Mr Savage, “that anything in the nature of a largescale attack is out of the question. For one reason New Zealand is too far away from any enemy base. Invaders might get here, but they could not get back.” Left to itself New Zealand could not hold out for long, but it should be prepared to hold out as long as possible, he continued. The last thing the British authorities wanted was to leave New Zealand to look after itself, but it was desirable to prepare for the worst and be on the safe side. For that .reason the Government wanted to do the best it could with the three forces. All could help and the Government' would do its part. "I think we are in a better position today than ever,” Mr Savage concluded. “Military officers tell us that, and they should know.”