EMPIRE DEFENCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 211, 19 June 1936, Page 6

EMPIRE DEFENCE

RETURNED sowmns’ VIEW.

IMMIGRATION FROM BRITAIN.

RECONSTRUCTION OF LEAGUE.

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

Vigorous advocacy of increased measures for defence throughout the Empire as a sure means _of maintaining world peace, came from delegates to the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association conference, when Teafiirmation of a. remit carried a year ago was recommended by a. subcommittee. ‘

The speakers were unanimously in favour of increased defence, but there was a. difference OF. opinion as to whether the Empire should rely on collective security within the Commonwealth of Nations or on: the Wider colleetive security of the League of Nations.

The resolution carried last year urged on the Government the vital necessity of bringing our sea, land and air forces to a. state commensurate with our rev sponsibilities, both to New Zealand and] the Empire, and of devoting greater attention to the training of leaders, and, in the event of war, conscripting the whole of the country’s econdmjc" resources as weli‘as the man power. '

To this was added this Year, on pre—sentation by Mr Leadley (Christchurch) in yiew of the unsettled state of world affairs: “That in view of the Prime Minister’s declaration that the first‘ line of defence for New Zealand should be increased} population, a scheme of planned immigration from Great Britain should be inaugurated as soon as possible; that New Zealand should support the reconstruction of the League of Nations, all members of which would mutually covenant to apply full economic and militalw sanetions against a. declared aggressor.’ ’