Call For Unity Among Services

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30210, 15 August 1963, Page 12

Call For Unity Among Services

(Now Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Augutt 13. The new defence organisation would demand considerable financial and adminittrartive introspection by each of tte services, the Mtocsi'er of Defence 'Mr Eyre) told 63 senior officers of the three services today. "Jt will call for unselfish, unfettered thought which, to be of most value should originate from the services themselves.” he said. Mr Eyre was addressing officers attending “Exercise Tricorne.” a paper exercise which began today ait Papakura Military Camp. The develepmenit of the Ministry of Defence would be simitar to that in Britain except that New Zealand was beginning an onganisaiion and Britain was conducting a ne-rganisstian. he said. The aim and purpose were much the same. Any higher defence organisation must have a chief of defence staff, a secretary of defence, and control of defence finance, said Mr Eyre. “We already have two of these and it is my intention that the third will also be achieved," he said. “At all levels, as I see it, our greatest problem is going to be one of how much each service is prepared to give or should give in the interests of defence. “The future pattern of a unified command is inevitable. It is in. the interests of defence—end indeed of each service—to ataorb change, constructively to assist in its implementation with expediency and good will, rather than find the change imposed.'' Commenting on toe presen.t exercise, Mr Eyre said:

“You will work tafatter in war—Cbat is a mutt. .• “Last time you did so, but often not effectively If greater co-eperatoon had bttn shown in toe last w ® r by the three sentaes many things would have been better. Wo learned the hard trey.” The exercise concerns ■ flctu'.iious island named Nugal in the west Pacific which has asked for mdiitary help. ITie exercise is sponsored by the Chiefs of Staff Committee It is being co-ordinated by Rear-Admiral P. Phipps and directed by Captain L G. Ctar.