DEFENCE SYSTEM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1939, Page 6

DEFENCE SYSTEM

NEW MEASURES IN BRITAIN WAR MINISTER’S SURVEY. , MORE SECURE PROTECTION IN FUTURE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. Tn his speech on the Conscription Bill, the War Minister (Mr L. Horc-Belisha) said the Bill assumed that the situation which had arisen might continue for three years, during which the Government, should be empowered to authorise the calling up of re--serves without recourse to a more elaborate procedure. Reserves hitherto were not called up for the annual 12 days’ training to which they were liable. They would be required to serve for throe months, enabling the Regular Army to train at war strength and preparing it to take the field at short notice. Individual auxiliary, Army and antiaircraft units would not serve over one month. Some 3,800 Fleet reservists and 1,500 Navy pensioners would serve three months, in two batches. The Bill provides for the reinstatement of those called up in employment after service. Mr Hore Belisha concluded that it was possibly by viewing together the Reserves, and Auxiliary Forces Bill and the Military Training Bill, to discern the outline of a system giving Britain a more secure protection in the immediate future. RESERVES BILL SECOND READING PASSED UNOPPOSED. LABOUR PARTY GIVES GENERAL APPROVAL. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) RUGBY, May 9. Mr Hore-Belisha moved the second reading of the Reserves and Auxiliary Forces Bill, which deals with the procedure for the embodiment or mobilisation of reserves and auxiliary forces and provides, as the Minister claimed, methods of instituting a state of preparation more appropriate to modern emergencies than the existing elaborate provisions, which date back over fifty years. He asserted that most of the armies in Europe were now kept at varying stages of mobilisation. As a result of the provisions of the Bill, Territorial Army anti-aircraft units would be at their war stations all this summer, while a certain, proportion of the Auxiliary Air Force would be in training and the Admiralty would increase the readiness of the Fleet Reserve, including anti-submarine anti mine-sweeping units. The Ministers claim that no exception was taken to the proposals in the-Bill in any part of the House and that they were regarded by Opposition members and Government supporters alike as doing no more than modernising and making more' effective a part of the country’s defence machinery, was fully substantiated when the Opposition spokesman, Mr J. J. Lawson (Lab.) after. detailing points upon which the Labour Party would wish to see amendments of form, announced that the party would not oppose the passage of the Bill. The measure was read a second time without a division.

WEALTH IN WAR TIME

LABOUR MEMBER’S BILL. PROPOSED TRANSFERS TO STATE. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, May 9. Mr G. L. Mander (Lab.) introduced the Conscription'of Wealth (Preparatory Provisions) Bill, providing machinery enabling the conscription for six months of the wealth of surtax payers aged sixty. It provides also that in war time every surtax payer not engaged in’ active service shall place his resources above surtax level at the State’s disposal. The Bill was formally read a first time. A private member cannot introduce a tax bill. If it is desired to put the machinery provided by Mr Mander’s Bill in motion, a further Govern-ment-backed Bill will be necessary.