RE-EQUIPMENT AT BURNHAM

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29206, 17 May 1960, Page 16

RE-EQUIPMENT AT BURNHAM

Mr Macfarlane’s Views

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, May 16.

When the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Mr R. M. Macfarlane) commented last week on Army re-equipment, he did not intend to criticise the work done in this direction since 1958. "I meant to emphasise the fact that the re-equipment of Our Army with the most modern weapons and transport available was a matter of prime importance,” said Mr Macfarlane this afternoon. "Though much has been done in this direction during the last two years, It fr a fact that previous Administrations neglected the matter.

"It is also true that though there is a great deal of new equipment at Burnham, there is still a lot of old transport which occupies a great des’ of time in maintenance. I know the amount of work that is being done, and merely wanted to express my view of its extreme importance." Mr Macfarlane said he was well aware of the difficulties involved in obtaining some equipment quickly. Because of the urgency of re-equipment, he believed that the previous Government should have been active in this some years ago. Instead of leaving the whole problem of re-equipment to be handled by the present Minister of Defence (Mr Connolly) and the present Government