VULTURES PICNIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 154, 1 July 1940, Page 3

VULTURES PICNIC.

THE WORLD TO-DAY. '

HON. R. SEMPLE SUMS UP. |

SENDING OP MEN OVERSEAS. '

'Me are living in a world that is a vulture's picnic," said the Hon. E Semple, Minister of National Service m addressing a large attendance of niembers of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to-day. "I n the world's most wonderful century this is a tra<n C epoch. We in New Zealand will have "to work and fight and pay for our existence. Party politics have faded into oblivion. If W e do not get together we >»ay not have a Government or a country to defend." Mr. Semple said the Government had been criticised for not sending more troops overseas. The position was that New Zealand could not send a soul to Kngland unless Kngland asked them to l>e sent. "It is not men that Britain wants at the present time," he said. "It is mechanism and food. If we send hordes of men without proper equipment they will eat the food that is needed l>y women and children and they will suffer through lack of equipment. England is working 24 hours a day to make up the losses sustained in Belgium. To say that we should send thousands of men abroad is stupid in the extreme. Guided By War Office. "The idea of rushing men across the world whore they are not wanted is absurd. In the first place there have to Us troopships and convoys. It would be cold-blooded murder to send them without this protection. Everyone knows of the relief felt in Xew Zealand when we heard of the safe arrival of the Second Echelon, and that was heavily guarded. The Government prefers to be guided by the War Office in London on the question of sending troops overseas, rather than by some critic in the street."

The Minister said that caWes had been sent to England almost imploring to be told the way in which assistance could most effectively be given. Recently advice was received at 8 a.m. that 1800 specialist*, including railwaymen, surveyors, engineers and mechanics were needed. By 10 o'clock that evening 1400 men had been mobilised, and the following day it had been possible to advise the War Office that the detachment was ready. England's reply was: "Wβ are deeply grateful for the immediate response." In the course of his remarks, Mr. Semple reviewed Xew Zealand's war effort and the part played by machinery in preparing aerodromes and military camps. He was warmly applauded at the conclusion.