BRITAIN’S DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20509, 27 May 1938, Page 7

BRITAIN’S DEFENCE

STRONG NAVY NECESSARY SAFEGUARDING TRADE ROUTES HUGE WARSHIP PROGRAMME (Official Wireless) RUGBY, May 25 The Financial Secretary to the Admiralty, Mr Geoffrey Shakespeare, speaking at the Royal Empire Society'.; function at Liverpool, said the main features of the Admiralty's plan to safeguard trade routes were: Special naval convoys for the main trade routes; the conversion of some vessels into anti-aircraft vessels: the provision of a new type known as escort vessels; and the strengthening of the Navy's destroyer arms. “ A strong Navy is vital to our safety,’* said Mr Shakespeare, “ and it is becoming stronger every day. At this moment we are building warships aggregating 562,000 tons.”

THE REGULAR ARMY A RUSH OF RECRUITS RECORD SINCE GREAT WAR (Official Wireless) ’ RUGBY, May 25 Recruiting officers from all parts of the country reported a* rush of recruits for the regular Army last week. The total was 936, an increase of 014 or 190.7 per cent, over Ihe corresponding period last year, and a record for any week since the Great War. RE-ARMAMENT PROGRAMME PLANS FOR SPEEDING UP FEMALE LABOUR OBJECTED TO United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. lopyrlghi LONDON, May 26 The engineering employers at yesterday’s conference with the unions discussed plans for speeding-up the Government’s re-armament programme, and suggested that femalg labour might be introduced in certain sections of the arms industry. Mr J. Little, president of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, immediately said the proposal was hot acceptable. Other union representatives declared they could not commit themselves until their executives had considered the proposal.

LEADERS IN CONFERENCE MINISTERS AND TRADE UNIONISTS (Official Wireless) (Received May 27, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, May 26 Mr Chamberlain, Viscount Halifax and Sir T. Inskip met the General Council of the Trade Union Congress in continuation of the meeting of March 23, when the question of the acceleration of the re-armament programme was under discussion.