“MEANS OF DEFENCE”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 July 1938, Page 7

“MEANS OF DEFENCE”

BISHOP CHERRINGTON’S SUGGESTION ADMISSION- OF JAPANESE “OUR PALTRY POPULATION” (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HAMILTON, July 11. “To suppose that a large country like this could possibly be defended with troops raised from our paltry population, two or three ships and a score or two of aeroplanes is completely ridiculous, I think,” said the Bishop of Waikato, the Rt Rev. C. A. Cherrington. in the course of his charge to the Waikato synod this evening. He suggested that perhaps the best means of national defence would be to offer such potential enemies as Japan room for their surplus population within the Dominion. “Britain might be able to keep the peace in Europe now that she is apparently armed to the teeth,” he said, “but could she guard her dependencies and Dominions, and specially Australia and New Zealand? “Why not, as a fresh, bloodless and altogether satisfactory means of defence, having in view, for example, such a possible and powerful enemy as the Japanese, offer them room in a land like this which we cannot possibly people?” He understood the whole of the north of Australia was at the most but sparsely populated. It was said that it was an impossible country for white people. Why not offer it as a free gift to the Japanese? In 20 years they might make it a veritable garden of the Lord. “We cannot use it. Then why keep it like a dog in the manger? Look at the waste .in New Zealand —miles and miles of land that our scanty populations cannot make use of. Why not offer large tracts to the Japanese. We have all sorts of people of different blood living side by side with us now, and it is no disadvantage to us. If only five millions were admitted, New Zealand would not know itself for the wealth that would ensue.” Politically speaking, such a procedure might be regarded as wrong and chimerical, but the matter had to be considered from the Christian point of view if one’s Christian beliefs meant nothing.”