DEFENCE AGAINST COMMUNISM

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28154, 18 December 1956, Page 9

DEFENCE AGAINST COMMUNISM

NEW ZEALANDERS “COMPLACENT” (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 17. Neither Australia nor New Zealand realised that it was in the front line against communism, a British businessman, Mr E. J. Bunbury, said today. He had been shocked to react that a New Zealander’s military training had been postponed because he was needed to play cricket, Mr Bunbury said. “You’re not doing anything like what you ought to do towards your own defence,” he said. Mr Bunbury, accompanied by Mrs Bunbury, is in New Zealand on a short business visit. He is chairman of the London board of the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia, Ltd., a member of the Agricultural Marketing Facilities Committee for Great Britain, and a former director of the Bank of England. He was! president for 15 years of the Imperial Bank of India., Mr Bunbury, who has business associations throughout the East, said that in Australia he found that only 3.9 per cent of the gross national income was spent on defence. “You’re in the front line,” he said, “and you doh’t know it. You are complacent. You’re not doing anything like your share.” Military leaders in Australia with whom he had spoken had agreed with that view and he had no doubt that in New Zealand, too, the military authorities would share it. Australian political leaders, too, had agreed that a greater defence effort was needed. But when he had asked. “What are you going to do about it?” they had been unable to give any definite information. The first thing necessary now was to make the average citizen realise the need to tighten his belt, he said. Australia and New Zealand would have to assume adult status in front-line defence.