The Press SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1933. Defence Proposals

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20986, 14 October 1933, Page 12

The Press SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1933. Defence Proposals

The Prime Minister's statement on the Government's defence proposals is framed 'in general terms, which offer little to surprise. The country has been prepared for a stronger defence policy in which the air would receive special attention; and closer co-operation with Australia has also been anticipated and is clearly desirable. The other points referred to by Mr Forbes are the substitution of more modern cruisers for those that at present form the New Zealand squadron, the provision of antiaircraft defence, the strengthening of the existing coastal defences, and recognition " in a reasonable man- " ner " of the response of those serving in the volunteer territorial force. Most of this will be accepted at sight, in the terms used., as necessary. If New Zealand needs cruisers, for instance, though less to repel invasion than to protect and convoy her shipping, then it is waste of money to have any but modern and efficient ones. But it is not easy to see what Mr Forbes means by his reference to the territorials. If he means that the Government is going to introduce some new scale of pay for their service, or for special periods of service, the proposal is one that will have to be looked at very closely. Broadly, this may be applied to all that the Prime Minister says. In outline, it is acceptable; the details may bring out grounds for objection. If so, it is more likely to be against faulty distribution of the defence estimates than against their total. The Dominion's problem is to spend a little so as to gain the maximum of security from it; and this is why the Government's announcement that it intends in the meantime to concentrate on aerial defence is very welcome. It is in the air that the Dominion can buy not only the cheapest but the best defence. Unfortunately, the beginning has been bad, so bad that the Government might easily be able to congratulate itself upon a very great improvement and yet have failed to make the air force what it could be and should be. Only a full and detailed account of the Government's programme will show whether this danger has been avoided or not; and for that it will be awaited with great interest and keenly studied.