DEFENCE OF FREE WORLD

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27471, 4 October 1954, Page 10

DEFENCE OF FREE WORLD

MINISTER SPEAKS AT WAIOURU CAMP TANK DEMONSTRATION BY ARMOURED CORPS (New Zealana Press Association) WAIOLTRI.T, CAMP, October 3 If the danger of war had diminished it was only because the free world was S repared to defend itself, said the linister of Defence (Mr T. L Macdonald! yesterday, when he addressed 80 officers attending a conference of COTp? Oyal New Zealand Armoured The Minister expressed his thanks to territorial officers who were serving ‘at some considerable sacrifice to pleasure and leisure.” „Mr Macdonald, accompanied by the Chief of the General Staff (Maine General W. G. Gentry), injected 3 a guard of honour drawn largely from the Regular Forces, and then saw a Slks nStratlOn by thrCe Centu rion Working together for the first time officially as a troop, the tanks engaged a target from a static position. The effectiveness of the stabilisers in the Centurions was demonstrated when a target was engaged with accuracy while a tank was moving over rousrh tussock country. s The Minister talked with the tank crews and the instructors on the Bat the latest infantry anti-tank weapon’ w V’ c “ t can st °P any known tank. Until more Centurion tanks—poa-

O 1 the Mark VII type—and the T>l eS \ s £? ut cars arrived, units of the Royal New Zealand Armoured J lave to continue to use t ? n . ks and Daimler scout said Major W. C. W. br?-?A= D ~ ector of the RN.Z.A.C. and Brigade ” la3or of the Armoured u_ aai .<l that the new tanks would fentnr t,Onal l ° the three Mark 111 ns riow m use in the camp. u ' l ?l COn X ersion to ne wer equipment causp b nf U 2 d t 0 be sloWl he said - be " Production rate in the K, og dom - committments elseNw ZeL n and mamtenar>Ce P roWems in