DEFENCE NEEDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 19, 24 January 1939, Page 6

DEFENCE NEEDS.

MORE PUBLIC SUPPORT. (To the Editor.) The present Government is doing its utmost to increase the defences of this country, but while it is doing sterling work, there is only a certain amount that » in its power to do. It is up to the people of Xew Zealand to co-operate with tlie Government, for national defenee is everybody's business, and everybody can help in some small wav. It is no good relying on Britain for our defence, because Britain in the event of war would probably be well tied up with European, affairs. Our job is to be prepared and not pass off the subject of defence as some trivial matter, and whip the cat when it is too late. Xcw Zealanders are reputed to be pood fighters, but they must be trained. There are hundreds of youths who could "do their bit" by joining the territorials. Far better to do militarytraining voluntarily, with some enthusieem, than to be forced to do it. Compulsion erast surely come if the present system fails through lack of recruits. A women's territorial army • might be a "rood idea, as in Britain, or a women's auxiliary corps, to be trained as ambulance drivers, and for other lighter jobs. As New Zealand would be a hard country to defend, it calls for an efficient defending force, and this can only be realised by the help of .' every person in the Dominion. Modern warfare strikes suddenly and terribly. What bap|H*ned in Abyssinia. Sr>ain and China can happen here. Let us prevent while we may. SEXLAC.'