DOMINION DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20507, 25 May 1938, Page 8

DOMINION DEFENCE

FARMERS PERTURBED REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTERS (By TH'-'Q-raph.—Pr#*s? Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday The Farmers’ Inter-Provincial Conference discussed defence, and a resolution was carried, practically unanimously (there being only two dissentients) drawing the Government’s attention to the serious international situation and the very -small vote given to defence in comparison with other votes, and urging the Government to adopt a vigorous policy of national defence, this policy to embody close cooperation with Great Britain, Australia and other Dominions to establish and maintain an adequate navy in the Western Pacific. The conference also directed the Government’s attention to the advisability of continuing the complete dependence on oil for naval fuel and urging the Government to establish the internal defence of New Zealand upon a truly national scale by the introduction of universal military training, together with ample supplies of arms and other military equipment and 1 aircraft.

Several speakers expressed the opinion that the conference should confine itself to matters affecting farmers only, but on the other hand it was pointed out that defence vitally affected farmers in the carriage of produce homewards.

It was pointed out that fanners were inconsistent in that adequate defence would mean more taxation, but this was answered by a reply that they were prepared to pay extra taxation for the safeguarding of national security.