Wairarapa Times-Age SATURDAY! APRIL 29, 1939. NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1939, Page 6

Wairarapa Times-Age SAT U R DAY! APRIL 29, 1939. NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE.

A S far as- they go, the necessarily reserved statements made officially about the work and results of the Pacific Defence Conference,' which concluded in Wellington on Wednesday, are encouraging. Naturally there could be ™ disclosing in specific detail the decisions reached by tl representatives of Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Ihe Prime Minister (Mr Savage) has said, however, that the recommendations of the conference are regarded as entnel.t satisfactory to the New Zealand delegation, and, there is reason to believe, to the other two delegations also.” While he added that the dominating note of the concluding speeches was the determinal ion of the three countries to co-operate in all defence measures to the utmost of their power, Mr Savage observed also of the conference that: It has given us a line of action that we Could have got in no other way. It no doubt follows that the country may look to the Government for an early and purposeful lead in defence policy and for the institution of whatever measures of preparation the exigencies of the international situation and an adequate regard for°the security of Hie Dominion are considered to demand.

Failing some transformation of the world outlook not visibly in prospect at present, New Zealand evidently must be prepared, in dealing with defence preparation, to draw much more freely than in the past upon its human and material resources. ‘ The demand raised in this way is so imperative, arising as it does from considerations of national security and even the existence of our democratic State, that it cannot reasonably be evaded on the score of the economic stress that will be entailed in meeting it. Defence expenditure on the scale that may now come to be regarded as essential probably ivill be very burdensome, but the final consideration must be that it is belter to be impoverished than to run the risk ol being enslaved.

In the present days of emergency, i,t will no doubt be agieed readily that the burdens of defence preparation, or of defence if the emergency comes to a head, must be spread as equitably as possible over the whole community. Nothing less than a genuinely national effort will meet the case. There have been some suggestions, notably by Sir James Parr, a former Minister of the Crown and High Commissioner, that New Zealand should at once follow the example now set by Britain and introduce conscription. Plainly, however, it is necessary to do a good deal more than assemble so many men in fighting units and it has vet to appear that if the country organises seriously for defence any difficulty will be experienced in raising all the men who can be trained and equipped.

With international affairs in their present state, it would appear that the country cannot too soon shape its defence plans and put them into working operation. At I lie moment, there is a definite possibility of war, though hope remains that it may yet be avert ed. Even if war be averted, however, a more or less extended period of troubled uncertainty and instability is Io be anticipated—a period in which Empire countries, and not least lhe Pacific Dominions, will be able to take nothing lor ■granted where their continued security is concerned.

Whatever conclusions in detail were reached by the Pacific Delein-e (’onlereiice it may be assumed confidently that Australia and X’ew Zealand will feel bound to enlarge, individually and in convert, iheir present measures of defence preparation. New Zealand’s pari mav be both to extend its present measure ol naval co-operal ion and to organise much stronger land and air defences than il van boast at present.

Materia) and economic problems are involved, as well as the question of man-power ami it will have been duly noted that defence is one of the subjects to Im discussed with I he Imperial authorities by the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash) (luring the visit, he is about to make to Loudon, ('ailed upon as she no doubt is to make substantial additions tn her del'em-e equipment, New Zealand must expect to be faced by financial problems which will not be solved easily, particularly at a time when her sterling resources have run very low. _ New oversea borrowing may be entailed, and much as that is to be objected to on o'eneral grounds and in furtherance of normal actix it ies. it may be held to be justified as a means of obtaining essential defence equipment in a time of great emergency.