"NO WAR SCARE IN BRITAIN"

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21968, 17 December 1936, Page 12

"NO WAR SCARE IN BRITAIN"

UNDERSTANDING AMONG POWERS

VIEW OF FORMER MEMBER OF HOUSE OF COMMONS

[THE PRESS Special Service] WELLINGTON. December 16. "The feeling of the Government is definitely against war and any suggestion of Britain's participation in any European conflagration will be resisted to the utmost," said Mr Jardine B. Whyte on his arrival at Wellington by the Rangitane this evening. Mr Whyte, who represented NorthEast Derbyshire in the House of Commons in the 1931 Government, added that he did not think there, would be any such suggestion. There was absolutely no war scare in Great Britain to-day, he said, and in his opinion the Empire was no. menaced in the slightest by the international strife. There was a perfect understanding among the powers. The only thing now was to build up the strength of armaments in order that the nation might meet any contingency that might arise, but which, he felt confident, would not arise. However, to be prepared for war was the best way to prevent it. . Speaking of conditions generally in Great Britain, Mr Whyte said that they were better to-day than at any time since the Great War. The 1931 Government had done more for Great Britain than any other Government, and in consequence new confidence had been instilled in the people, and the Empire stood higher in the world to-day than ever before. As an indication of the great revival of business in the industrial areas of England, he mentioned that in 1931 he had visited one of the largest of these centres. Sheffield, and had found many of the huge industries almost derelict. To-day they were working three shifts a day. During the first year of the 1931 Government's regime, between 30,000 and 40,000. some of whom had been unemployed for six and eight years, had been put into work. Questioned about the effect of the abdication of King Edward VIII., Mr Whyte said that the new King would receive the full support of the people of Great Britain. He felt sure that loyalty to the Throne would not be impaired in the slightest. The Prime Minister (Mr Stanley Baldwin) had proved the right man in the right place in handling the most difficult constitutional crisis that any Prime Minister had had to face. "He has done a wonderful job of work." he declared, adding that the entire House- of Commons stood behind him. Mr Whyte, who is a naval architect and consulting engineer, has many relatives in New Zealand. He has come to the Dominion for a holiday, and after seeing some of the scenic spots and visiting some of his relatives he will leave again on the Rangitane in January. After service In the Great War, Mr Whyte was technical adviser and director of the British Ministry for Shipping vn the United States of America and Canada from 1918 to 1921.