N.Z. Told To Pull Weight In Defence

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30215, 21 August 1963, Page 8

N.Z. Told To Pull Weight In Defence

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, August 20. Because New Zealand is allied to major Western Powers by certain treaties, she must pull h-er weight in defence, according to the Chief of the General Staff (Major-General L. W. Thornton). In a pamphlet entitled "Defence—Your Place In National Security,” General Thornton says: “We cannot match the armed strength of America, Britain or Australia and no-one expects us to do so. “Our allies do, however, expect that, in peace and in war, we will be seen to be doing our fair share.”

He describes the view some New Zealanders have that there is no need for conventional armed forces in this nuclear age as “dangerously shortsighted.” Many people argue that the next war will be one of mass slaughter with nuclear weapons and there will be no possibility that a small power like New Zealand could influence this issue, he says Since 1954 the United States and Russia, and to a lesser extent, the United Kingdom, have built up the means to deliver nuclear weapons over the face of the earth. Basically both America and Russia know and acknowledge that each has the capacity to annihilate each other’s homeland, he says. “In these circumstances, nuclear warfare must amount practically to national suicide," he says. Neither side, would take this step unless its most vital interests were threatened, or unless such an occurrence was triggered by a tragic mistake. In the meantime, says General Thornton, there is an ever-increasing temptation to the Communists to widen their influence by actions which will not require nuclear retaliation.

“These can be curbed only by the presence of mobile, trained and ready conventional forces,” he says. Since the development of nuclear weapons, New Zealand forces have fought in smaller wars. The New Zealand Army fought in Korea and Malaya, and troops and aircraft were sent to Thailand

in 1962 to help deter further Communist advances. Under the S.E.A.T.O, AN.Z.UjS. and A.N.Z.A.M. treaties, New Zealand is a full partner in defence arrangements wifth other Western countries. From this partnership New Zealand receives guarantees of defence assistance and in turn agrees to accept the obligation to contribute forces to help in the common task. “We cannot meet these obligations by mere lip service,” General Thornton says. “We must be ready to send small forces at short notice to maintain the confidence of friendly nations and to cooperate with them in facing the various forms of indirect aggression and subversion practised by the Communists.’’