DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22767, 20 July 1939, Page 12

DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

MINISTER REPLIES TO CRITICS DEVELOPMENT OF LAND FORCES DELIBERATIONS OF RECENT CONFERENCE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, July 19. The steps taken by the Government for the expansion and development of the land forces of New Zealand were outlined by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) in a general review of the defence position during his speech in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives tonight. Mr Jones also replied to opposition criticism of the Government’s defence policy. “The Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton), in his -amendment, imputes lack of sincerity about defence on the part of the Government,” the Minister said. “It was however, this Government which asked that a defence conference should be held, in New Zealand, which surely shows that it is interested and concerned about the position of the Dominion in view of the present state of the world.”

One of the most important questions at the Defence Conference related to supplies, the Minister added, and suitable action had been taken in that direction. For obvious reasons, it was impossible to disclose all that had taken place at the conference; but he could assure members that the work done there would result in greater coordination, which would mean more security for the British. Commonwealth of 1 Nations. General Mackesy, one of the British delegates, had been asked to stay here for .a few weeks to report on the land forces.' and many of his recommendations were at present receiving consideration. Generally speaking, he had approved of what the Government was doing. “Some members of the Opposition have adopted a curious attitude on the question of defence,” Mr Jones said. “They have endeavoured to belittle the efforts of the Government; but at the same time have asserted their anxiety to give the fullest co-operation. They now advocate compulsory military training; but they were not prepared to adopt it as part of their election programme. It is only fair to mention "that the voluntary system was the policy of previous Governments for some years, and it would 'be interesting to know just what is the reason for this change.

Non-Party Question “Defence, like education, has always been regarded as a non-party question,” the Minister said, “and as the Government is at present engaged on a recruiting campaign, it would be interesting to know just why the Opposition has raised the compulsory training issue at the. present, time. The members opposite say they want to be helpful; but they have betrayed very little desire to assist. ' They have put forward no constructive suggestions, and, with one or two exceptions, they have given no assistance towards recruiting.” Reports showed that recruiting had been good, and in quite a number of districts the number aimed at had been exceeded, the Minister added. A splendid response had been given, for instance, by the Maoris. No difficulty had been experienced in securing the required number of men for the Highland units in the four centres, and as all had waiting lists, some of the men had joined up with other regiments. A surprising, reference had been made by one member of the Opposition to the formation of the Scottish regiment, and he hoped that did not represent the views of the Leader of the Opposition. who, like many other members of the House, was of Scottish descent. Reference had been made to the New Zealand Scottish being allied with a Home regiment, but surely no one would object to a New Zealand regiment being linked up with the famous Black Watch regiment, of which Her Majesty the Queen was Colonel-in-Chief.

DEYONPORT NAVAL BASE PROGRESS OF WORK OF MODERNISING NEARLY £5,000,000 TO BE SPENT IN FIVE YEARS [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 19. The progress made with the work of modernising the naval base at Devonport, Auckland, was outlined by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives to-night. Much thought and attention, he said, had been directed to the question of naval defence in an endeavour to build up a New Zealand Navy. ■ The introduction of a longterm personnel policy had increased the number of New Zealand entries into the navy. , “Thj programme we have laid down has met with the approval of the British Government,” Mr Jones said. “It is in line with the recommendations of Lord Jellicoe, who visited New Zealand in 1919, and reported on naval defence. Past, governments had not been enthusiastic for a New Zealand Navy, and consequently they had done very little for this service.” Mr Jones said the introduction of a long-term personnel policy had increased the number of New Zealand entries to the navv. It was anticipated that by 1946, with the exception of the skilled branches, all ratings would be New Zealanders. “Reserves of ammunition and armament stores have been more than doubled during the last four years,” the Minister continued. “This policy of increasing the reserves is being continued, and £25,000 will be provided during the next two years for this purpose. In addition, large quantities of Imperial stores are maintained at the depot.” Capital expenditure involved in the five years’ programme from 1936 to 1941 was £1,173,000, and expenditure on maintenance for the same period would be £3.557,000, making a total of £4,730,000 (New Zealand currency). He thought members would Agree that valuable work hAd been done, and that a progressive. policy . had. beeh that would give bminion both an naval hasp and training centre; ’