Defence Of The Realm

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 10

Defence Of The Realm

I Bp

WHIM WHAM]

Defence is a dirty word. . Most New Zealand.™ materialistic and selfish to concern themselves with the defence of their country A. . naUon the security of our country is of only J Mr ’ PeeCh * mM‘^ , d'S££ - The New Zealand Army would buy eight Centurion tanka from the BriUah Army from Britisn Army holdings in Hong Kong which had become surplus ... in excellent condition although not factory-new.—Announcement by the ’ Minister of Defence Mr Eyre. The Hon. the Minister may well be right About our Nation’s military Might. New Zealanders these Days don’t give much Thought to Defence, or Less than Some would say they ought to. Woe to Us! if political Neglect, Public Indifference, or Disrespect— That -dirty Word” Defence—should find Us failing Our puny Preparations unavailingContemptible alike to Friend and FoeSir, I repeat, prophetically, Woe! I'd only question (being a Quibbler yet) The Ministerial Choice of Epithet Materialistic, are We? That's for Certain So’s Everyone, on BOTH Sides of the Curtain And What’s so Spiritual about Defence? ”* ’ True, in some special Ministerial Sense These well meant Words mean, weli. What they don t say: ' Hon. Ministers so often talk that Way Selfish? Of course! Is Anyone pretending It isnt our sweet Selves we are defending? In this great Age of H-bombs and Polarises* £ • for our OWN Destiny that harasses— S? New York * Bonn’. Shortsighted, ignorant, apathetic—yes. * I wouldn’t put it down to Selfishness. Let’s arm to our Milk-teeth, as Prudence toll, it.It won’t be selfless Virtue th“t comiS? Ua U ’ Sir, you may think mv Spirit’s prettypoor LT THlng W ‘ ! ®® TH «*** toto’ow, I’m The Minister may talk, he also acts to °’ “ Face of Facts. ’ While We've been wasting Time on idle