NAVY LEAGUE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 July 1938, Page 8

NAVY LEAGUE

TWELVE YEARS ON. Mr Darroch said he was very pleased to see such a large gathering because of the great interest the members of the Masterton Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Navy League had always taken in the work of the organisation. This was his twelfth annual visit to the Wairarapa and during those twelve years they had made over 300 visits to schools, addressing, he supposed, something like 30,000 or 40,000 children and teachers. Now they were twelve years on and he hoped that during that period they had sown the seeds of loyalty and patriotism and of belief in the necessity for a strong Navy, Air Force and Army for the defence of our country and the Empire. As might be seen from its aims, set forth in this year’s souvenir, the Navy League was a purely educational society, strictly non-political, and without class or sectarian distinctions. It was a League of Peace of the nations of the British Empire—peace with security. Defence in the air was added to its policy in 1912 and today the Navy League stood for sea and air defence. The Navy League was as much -concerned about the British Merchant Service as about the Navy. The Navy, the Merchant Service and trade were interdependent. If they were at war, the Navy could not function without the Merchant Service. The duty of the Navy League was to build up and strengthen public opinion in support of the respective British Governments whose anxiety was to provide adequate defence forces to protect our Empire and its 85,000 miles of trade routes and to preserve our freedom and our democratic system of government.

The preservation of our democratic system of government had never been so necessary as it was today. One could not pick up a newspaper without seeing examples of freedom being snatched from other peoples. The papers of the previous day had reported a Nazi decree providing that no marriage in Germany should be valid unless performed before a civil registrar. Evidently this was being done for the purpose of destroying the people’s independence in religion. FREEDOM AND DEFENCE. There had been freedom in the life of our own nation from the days of the Saxon Witenagemot, which all freemen originally were entitled to attend. Freedom had developed in England through the ages and exiles from many lands, whether displaced king or communist, had found a refuge there. The British people could not expect to preserve their freedom if they did not back it up by adequate force. Some of our own people were practically inviting foreign nations to come here and occupy these lands because we, had such a small population. At a Navy League meeting some years ago, Mr Justice Cullen had said that if we wanted to keep this country for ourselves we should have to fight for it. That was what justified the existence of the Navy League. Its aim was to rouse the people from apathy and induce thefti to take a sensible interest in defence. Mr Darroch said he hoped the Masterton branch would find hundreds of men and women anxious to join the Navy League for the purpose of building up that public opinion which was necessary to back up any Government. The rearmament programme in Great Britain had been supported by all but six members of the House of Commons. An expenditure of 1,500 millions, spread over a period of years, had been approved and that huge amount was likely to be increased. Mr D. Kirkwood, one of the Clydeside Labour members, had for some time been actively supporting the rearmament programme, on the ground that some nation must save the world and that Britain would never use her strength for aggression and that any Government trying to do that would be voted out. BRITISH REARMAMENT. Mr Darroch dealt with some details of the British rearmament programme, mentioning the construction of big new battleships, cruisers and destroyers. Ample provision was being made, he said, both of aircraft and of anti-air-craft defences, including guns that were said to have a “ceiling” of 30,000 feet. When the new battleships had been completed Britain would have three fleets, one of which would be based on Singapore. Observing that he had recently visited Australia, Mr Darroch said the Commonwealth was becoming very defence minded. A sum of 45 millions was to be spent on rearmament during a period of three years—a very large sum to be found by a population of seven millions. It had never been the function of the Navy League to say what they should have as a means of defence, Mr Darroch said. Their business was to educate public opinion on the necessity of taking an interest in the question of defence —undoubtedly the most important question they had to consider today. There was much discussion on health, housing schemes or what was to happen to our schools. All these things were most important, but they were simply nothing compared with defence. If we had not defence, everything else went. In the event of any foreign country setting foot in Australia and New Zealand, we need expect no mercy. There was much jealousy of Britain’s great Empire. If we wanted to hold the Empire we must defend it. He appealed to’ his hearers each to bring in at least one additional member. Many people were only waiting to be asked. He wished every success to the Masterton Auxiliary of the Navy League. (Applause). SUGGESTED DEVELOPMENT. In the course of a brief discussion on details of organisation, Mr Darroch said there had formerly been a men’s

committee in Masterton and there was no reason why it should be revived. No doubt lectures by the Commodore or other officers could be arranged. Masterton, if it so desired could form an independent branch of the Navy League. When it was suggested that the men present might constitute a sub-com-mittee, Mr J. H. Irving said that though he had every sympathy with the Navy League, he thought it better to concentrate his energies at present on the Land Defence League which was being formed throughout New Zealand. It was felt that a great majority of the people of this country did not want compulsion and there were proposals in view under which each area would endeavour to provide its quota of voluntary trainees, In moving a vote of thanks to Mr Darroch, which was carried by acclamation, Mr Jordan said he hoped the Commodore or another officer would come to Masterton to give an address on the Navy and pn rearmament at Home.

GATHERING IN MASTERTON YESTERDAY ADDRESS BY MR R. DARROCH. NEED OF DEFENDING EMPIRE. There was an overflowing attendance. of severity or -more, at a gathering the Midland Hotel, yesterday afternoon, at which members of the Masterton Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Navy League entertained Mr R. Darroch, Wellington secretary of the league. Those present, included Mrs A. Caselberg (president), Miss A. Sellar (secretary) and a full muster of executive and other members of the auxiliary as well as a sprinkling of members of the sterner sex. The Mayor (Mr T. Jordan) presided and was accompanied by Mrs Jordan. Mr Jordan, who read a. number of apologies, said he wanted to congratulate Mrs Caselberg on “producing this meeting." He had anticipated that he would be the only member of his sex present, apart from Mr Darroch, but, he added, “we are represented anyhow." He wished also to congratulate his old friend Mr Darroch on his efforts to arouse interest in the Navy, which was our great shield and buckler. He had always marvelled at the very small annual sum we were asked to contribute to the cost of the wonderul insurance we got from the Navy. We were apt in this country to be lulled into a false sense of security and the same thing had happened at Home. They had stopped their naval building and neglected rearmament only to find that everybody was taking advantage of it. He hoped that as a result of Mr Darroch’s visit, renewed interest Would be taken in the Navy.