Dominion's Defence Policy

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14638, 6 April 1948, Page 3

Dominion's Defence Policy

MINTENANCE OF BASES IN PACIFIC ISLANDS

MANSION OF NAVY TO MEET ** VARIOUS ROLES jam, FORCE TO BE ESTABLISHED AND P TRAINED BY REGULARS fft PLAN FOR R.N.Z.A.F. : DEFENCE SbKCB ORGANISATION APPROVED (Special to The Times) Wellington, today. « need for New Zealand to maintain bases, in the fcrtflo Islands, notably Fiji, from which defensive forces to is stressed in the statement on New Zealand's 'policy made by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. fnieet the various roles of the Navy, particularly the Zof tra ; de and sea communications in the South ! Thasfceeri decided, after consultations with the Admirh maintain in commission one cruiser at present*in a ''■[ capacity and a flotilla of sis anti-submarine escort Vfullv operational and one surveying vessel in connloWent. Additionally, one cruiser will be held in ''l New Zealand, together with minesweepers and ■ nr defence craio. 'Sis year the strength of the Navy will be expanded to , J ranks while the target peacetime establishment of Liranksshould be reached in 1050. The present strength Ly is approximately 1580 all ranks. Provision is made for the organisation, training and •lit 0 f a Territorial Force. In this direction the first ftjj t ho Minister, is the recruitment and training of the to Force which in turn will organise and train the Ter- ?• " The training of the Regular Force is now proceedATerritorial force will be established and the terms of S and the method of recruitment will be announced the Regular Force personnel have been trained ari are Lie for this work. The target plan for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, kafter consultation with Lord Tedder, provides for the SLent of a Regular Air Forco, a Territorial Air Fores Air Training Corps, and an Air Force Reserve. It is 3 sed to carry out this plan progressively over the next years, by which time the establishment of the Regular Air jshoiild be approximately 4,000 officers and men. Today, I establishment is approximately 2,500 ar,l this will be at the rate of 500 per annum. 'finneed for a closer association of the Armed Forces with fa Science has been recognised as one of the most importStasks facing the Services in their post-war reorganisation Is a result a Defence Science Organisation has been apd The Government has also approved proposals for the ishment of a Defence Scientific Corps.