NATIONAL PARTY’S VIEW

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22717, 23 May 1939, Page 8

NATIONAL PARTY’S VIEW

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR HARGEST “EKCENT NEE!) FOR TRAINED MEN” (rniss association xr.i.icß*!.!.) AUCKLAND. May 22. An announcement that the National Party had decided to support strongly universal military service for home defence was made- by Mr J. Hardest, member of Parliament for Awarna. when speaking at Matamala to-night. Mr Hargest said the decision had been made after discussion at the re cent caucus of the party. ••Universal military service for home defence will form part of our policy.” he said. "Only by placing the obligation on all men can we obtain the required numbers, and it. is the on'.v democratic way. Wo all claim the right to share national privileges. tVe all have an equal responsibility to defend them.

-Mr Sava.se has recently staled that the soldier will not be the first to be conscripted —that he will conscript wealth firsts' Mr Hargest added. ’He knows as well as anyone that in aa emergency Parliament can do at on. 1 sitting anything it wishes with weal to and property; but it cannot train mm by act of Parliament. That takes time, and to wait until the enemy arrives at, tlie gates is suicidal. It v. mild entail useless slaughter. "Jn the event of war the National Party would immediately mobilise ail the country’s resources—financial, material. and physical—-in the defence of the Dominion. Nothing else would be sufficient.” Mr Hargest added that the most clamant need to-day, however, was trained men. All the expenditure m the world on fortifications, aeroplanes, and other armaments would not compensate for the lack of men.