The Press FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1939. Air Defence

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 10

The Press FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1939. Air Defence

The measures taken by the present Government to expand and modernise New Zealand s air defences, outlined in the House of Representatives by the Minister for Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, are on the whole impressive and creditable. More than £5,000,000 has been spent since 1936; a remarkably efficient system of aerodromes has been established in a short time; and personnel has been expanded rapidly. Yet the fact remains that the strength of New Zealand’s air defences is potential rather than real, because the country has at present less than 100 military aircraft, few of which are really modern and most of which would be of little or no value in war. The Government has on order 30 Vickers Wellington bombers, possibly the most efficient military aircraft of their type in the world; but delivery of these machines will not begin till October. In all probability, there will be a serious international crisis, involving a very real risk of war, in August or September. If war does occur, the probability is that delivery will be indefinitely postponed, with the result that New Zealand will be left with everything necessary for efficient air defence except up-to-date aeroplanes. It appears to be the view of the British defence authorities that New Zealand is not very likely to be attacked in a major war; but obviously the risk of attack will be greatly increased by a serious defence weakness. In the circumstances, it is reasonable to suggest that the Government should regard the acquisition of up-to-date military aeroplanes as a matter of extreme urgency. In this connexion it is surprising that the Minister for Defence did not deal more fully with the arrangement, announced by Sir Kingsley Wood in the House of Commons recently, whereby the number of New Zealand pilots trained annually in Great Britain for the Royal Air Force is to be raised to 220. According to Sir Kingsley Wood, this will enable New Zealand “to send overseas in the event of “war no fewer than 1300 fully-trained pilots “ and other flying personnel each year.” The desirability of New Zealand assisting Great Britain to the full extent of her available resources in war will not be questioned. But it may be questioned whether it is in the best interests of the Dominion' or of the British Commonwealth that there should be such a heavy export of the pick of New Zealand’s young 'manhood. The rapid deterioration in relations netween Great Britain and Japan suggests that should war break out the strain on the defence resources of Australia and New Zealand may be far greater than has been anticipated.