CHIEFS OF STAFF

Press, Volume C, Issue 29679, 24 November 1961, Page 18

CHIEFS OF STAFF

Submission By R.S.A. (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 23. Any suggestion that the Chiefs of Staff should be subservient to, or controlled by, someone who may have had no training in military matters was viewed with dismay by the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association. it said in a submission to the Royal Commission on State Services yesterday. The submission, presented by the association’s Dominion vice - president iMr H. Mitchell! said: “The recent White Paper shows the effect of that interference. The Treasury did not agree with the defence programme and those responsible for the defence of the country were over-ridden. “In the opinion of this association, this has resulted in ‘he country being placed in a position where it can no longer meet its obligations to its allies pursuant to its treaties: that service at least in the Navy and Air Force will become so unattractive as seriously to jeopardise the future efficiency of these forces, and that the country will be left in the near future with no real ability to defend itself.” The association would welcome any integration which was limited to service matters and personnel, said Mr Mitchell. A chairman of a Chiefs-of-Staff committee, drawn from a service background. but independent of any of the services, would be an advantage. The Treasury, the submission said, was not equipped or trained to evaluate defence matters. Its defence functions should be confined to the provision of money.