NEW ZEALAND’S NAVAL DEFENCE

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20990, 18 December 1939, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND’S NAVAL DEFENCE

Though the people of New Zealand have never begrudged expenditure on the Navy, the value of the protection afforded by that service has never been more evident than today. It is unmistakably clear that the British Empire as such would have long since ceased to exist but for the'Navy, and the lessons of war-time will be carried forward into the peace that follows. The sea routes are the lifelines of the Empire, and New Zealand is grateful that it has in the past few days been able to make a notable contribution to the defence of those lifelines. One has only to envisage the havoc that would be caused to the, Empire’s shipping by such raiders as the Graf Spee were the British Navy not strong, to realise that the Empire must, as long as the danger of war exists, maintain a navy of superior strength. In his discussion of the Dominion’s naval operations on Friday night the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, was unusually frank and gave much information that has previously been kept closely secret. This may be taken as an indication of greater confidence in the safety of the trade routes and the improbability of ships in New Zealand waters being molested. But New Zealand ships must venture across the seven seas, and so an extensive programme of arming merchantmen has already progressed far. While the small guns carried by merchant ships will have no terrors for German raiders such as the Graf Spee, they are a very real menace to submarines, whose operations have already been suppressed to a considerable degree by the knowledge that their intended victims have teeth. Unless he had greater confidence than formerly, the Minister would scarcely have been so definite in the information he gave regarding the disposition of the units of the New Zealand Division, the arming of merchant ships and the provision of new naval ships. Also for the first time he officially disclosed that New Zealand troops had been convoyed to reinforce the garrisons in the Pacific Islands. Generally, the part the Dominion’s naval forces have played in the war has been vigorous and useful. And it has been clearly demonstrated that New Zealand must be prepared to take an increasing share in the naval defence of the Empire. Unless the world is substantially changed when this war ends, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy will become an even more powerful and responsible unit in the Empire’s armour.