MORE MONEY FOR DEFENCE

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22411, 26 May 1938, Page 12

MORE MONEY FOR DEFENCE

— FARMERS’ APPEAL TO THE GOVERNMENT UNIVERSAL TRAINING IN ARMS WANTED (PBBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, May 25. Th'e farmers’ interprovincial conference discussed defence, and a resolution was carried, practically unanimously—there were only two dissentients—drawing the t Government’s attention to the serious international situation, and the very small vote giver to defence in comparison with other votes, and urging the Government to adopt a vigorous policy of national defence. This policy should embody close cooperation with Great Britain, Australia and the other Dominions to establish and maintain an adequate navy in the Western Pacific. The conference also directed the Government’s attention., to the wisdom of continuing a complete dependence on oil for naval fuel, and urging the Government to establish the internal defence of New Zealand upon a truly national scale by the introduction of universal military training, together with ample supplies of arms and other military equipment and aircraft. Several speakers expressed the opinion that the conference should confine itself to matters affecting farmer? only, but on the other hand it was stated ’’that defence vitally affected farmers in the carriage of their produce Homewards. It was stated that the farmers were inconsistent, in that adequate defence would mean more taxation. This was answered by the reply that they were prepared to pay extra taxation for the safeguarding of national security.