DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 297, 15 December 1936, Page 5

DEFENCE.

ATTITUDE OF N.Z.

"DUTY BEING DONE."

NEED FOR MORE POPULATION

QUESTION OF IMMIGRATION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

PALMERSTON NORTH, this day.

"There is 110 need for defence leagues to show the Government its duty. I have every reason to believe there is complete unanimity between the British and New Zealand Governments. So far as the British Government is concerned, we are doing our duty in this country."

This assurance was given by the Hon. W. E. Barnard, Speaker of the House of Representatives, at a large gathering of Rotarians and business men last evening in the course oi an address on immigration and defence. He said the question of adequate defence was one that the Government was sincerely concerned with. In the coming year there might be a definite indication givpn #f the Government's view of the defence of New Zealand's soil. No one was entirely satisfied with the existing means of defence. "Empire Not Spent Force." It may not be true that God is on the side of the big battalions, but there is no question that virile people have an advantage over people who have grown old and stale." The British nation is anything but a spent force and is not on the down grade, but no nation that is to be permanently prosperous can ignore the injunction to" be fruitful and multiply. It has been agreed for many years that our right to occupy New Zealand and to keep out others is dependent on the strength of the British Navy. In the last few years it lias'become apparent that jf Britain were to lie heavily involved in Europe and Asia, or in Europe alone, we could not rely on the naval arm as in" the past. "The strong nations complain that they are cramped for room and are looking around with envy. We might spend millions yearly on defence, but we should not thereby make our country safe if we did not build up our population. The Prime Minister, the Right Hon. M. J. Savage, has declared that population is the best form of defence. I support him heartily. "Dominion's Clear Duty." "While we must see to defence as far as is reasonable and practical, it is our clear duty to ourselves and to the outside world to fill up our vacant spaces and not remain a 'dog in the manger.' We are still free to choose whom we shall admit, but it may not remain for our children and grandchildren to choose also."

Mr. Barnard added his personal view of defence precautions and said they wore essential for home defence. He did not favour, and he believed the women of New Zealand were of the same opinion, sending an expeditionary force to some remote part of the world.

At another stage of his address, Mr. Barnard, in referring to immigration, said that a large scale plan was a move that was likely to succeed under a Radical Government rather than under a Government with Conservative tendencies. Migration 011 a worth-while scale would mean preparedness for Government interference in industries, and a certain amount of control also. There was a price to be paid for pursuing a large scale policy, and he looked hopefully to the present Government. Not much consideration had yet been pos sible, but the very urgency of the matter demanded that it should be faced at no distant date. In the meantime it was necessary to educate the population to the urgency of the matter, and conduct research in efforts to secure a formula.