More Support For N.Z. Navy Urged

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30264, 17 October 1963, Page 19

More Support For N.Z. Navy Urged

The public were not giving the Royal New Zealand Navy the support it deserved, said Captain R. A. Millar, naval liaison officer on the staff of the Australian High Commisstonier in New Zealand, addressing the Dominion conference of the Navy League in Christchurch yesterday.

Captain Miller said that the men who sailed the sea. whether under the White or Red Ensign, were the vanguard responsible for upholding the Dominion's waiy of life. On a foundation based on the Royal Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy had built its own national characteristics and had shown a standaird and capability much larger than numbers or military strength would warrant. This had been accomplished in spite of a lack of complete training facilities, in spite of isolation from the other navies, and in spite of the failure of the New Zealand public to give it the support it thoroughly deserved.

The maintenance of sea communications was vital to New Zealand. Without it, he said, the country would perish in weeks.

The sea was an element with which no liberty could be taken, and where the price of survival was eternal vigilance. Constant reliance on others, battles against the weather, and concern for others' goods, had bred an understanding and sympathy among sailors which penetrated bamboo and iron curtains and which disregarded colour or creeds. The simple sailors set a pattern that the shore - based sophisticates could well follow, he said. Although 99 per cent of the trade on which New Zealand’s standard of living depended travelled by sea, and toe country depended on the sea for defence, New Zealanders were not a seaminded people. Yet men of New Zealand who had followed the calling of the sea had done remarkably well, said Captain Millar. Delegates Welcomed

Welcoming delegates to th* conference, the DeputyMayor (Cr. H. P. Smith) said the Navy League, always very active in the city, was held in high esteem by all citizens. The City Council and the league had co-oper-

ated in many community efforts. It was most gratifying to see what the Navy League was doing for sea cadets, Cr. Smith said.

Delegates were also welcomed by the president of the Canterbury branch (Mr P. D. Hall).

In his annual report the Dominion president (Captain T. S. Marchington) said the league must fully support the Naval Board and its plan for a basically anti-submarine force of six frigates. The league should press for the ordering of three more frigates of the latest type. Captain Marchdngton said it could not be emphasised too frequently that the first and most important task of the Navy League was to ensure that the naval defence of New Zealand was brought up to the required standard and then maintained. Regard had, of course, to be paid to- the manning problems and to the available finance. If one bore in mind the inflationary trend which had existed in the Dominion for many years, toe amount of money allocated to defence had dropped by comparison with tile sums allocated in other directions such as social security. In addition, the complex equipment whiqh the service must have was progressively much more expensive.

Captain- Marching ton said that progress was being made, but it was slow. After November''3o it would be anybody’s guess what would happen. In his policy statements the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nordmeyer) had mentioned practically everything but defence. It seemed, he added, that defence must toe an unpleasant word. Sea Cadet Units The increases in Sea Cadet units in recent years had been splendid, and it was hoped the league would use every endeavour to expand the movement still further.

The league was again indebted to the administrators of the J. R. McKenzie Trust for their financial support, which was vital in ensuring that individual units had essential equipment. It was regrettable that, though applications had been made, no assistance had been granted from the Golden Kiwi lottery, as had been given to other youth organisations and clubs.

Captain Marchington. who has been Dominion president of the league for the last 11 years, yesterday stepped down from the office. His successor is Lieutenant-Com-mander A. R. Mackay, of Christchurch. Other officers elected yesterday were: vicepresidents. Messrs J. L. Wilson (Auckland) and H. D. Ramsay (Dunedin); councillors: Surgeon Commander E. L. Gillies (Levin), Lieuten-ant-Commander ’l* F. Luxton iChirstchwch), and Mr G Bate (Nelson).