Call For Bigger Defence Effort

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30724, 13 April 1965, Page 1

Call For Bigger Defence Effort

A call for greater effort, and possibly increased taxation, for “adequate defence” of New Zealand was made by the Dominion president of the Returned Services’ Association (Mr Hamilton Mitchell) in a letter received by the executive of the Christchurch R.S.A. last evening.

Not one of the services was up to I establishment, and recruiting for the Army was in such a parlous ’ state as to be almost a national scandal, he said. "We must be in a position Io defend our own shores," Mr Mitchell said. If it was necessary to increase taxation to give New Zealand a better chance to defend itself, he believed that former servicemen wotdd support the Government in such a decision, said Mr Mitchell. However, he believed New Zealand could have a greater p?rt of the national income < for defence without an increase in taxation There were some items of Government expenditure which were no longer justified, and there were others which could be pruned without [harm to other than comfort ; or pleasure. QUESTIONS FOR M.P.S The Christchurch executive [decided to forward copies of I Mr Mitchell’s letter to all I Christchurch members of i Parliament. Mr Mitchell had [suggested they could be {asked the following questions: — 1(1) Will you advocate that New Zealand should provide and maintain adequate Navy, Army, and Air Force defence as recommended by the Minister of Defence? [ (2) Do you accept our present treaty obligations? (3) Do you agree that once a treaty obligation has been accepted, we should be ready to meet our fair proportion of the total treaty obligations? [ (4) Do you accept that, if necessary, we should be prepared to defend our own shores'’ I (5) Will you support the Minister of Defence in bis request for a greater part of the national income for defence - ’ Adequate defence meant that not only must New Zea- [ land be able to accept and carry out its proportionate [part of its treaty obligations. [ but must also be in a position [to defend its own shores. Mr [Mitchell said. By the provision of a ship, and more recently crews for two minesweepers, a bat-

Italion. an operational squadron. and a transport squadiron as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve in the Far East—“or perhaps we 'should say the Near North." {said Mr Mitchell—New Zealand had made a reasonable contribution towards its treaty obligations. But in so doing it had neg1 lected completely the other area of defence responsibility , —“and we are now unable to ' replace the men overseas at ! the end of their tour of duty. { Not one of the services is up to establishment, and in par- ! ticular recruiting for the . Army "is in such a parlous state as to be almost a national scandal." said Mr .'Mitchell. , “The Minister of Defence J has welcomed the suggestion , of a special defence tax. and . surely he would not even con- , sider such a suggestion unless I he was desperate for a greater i defence vote." he said BRIEF DISCUSSION 1 Discussion on Mr Mitchell's letter was brief. “1 don't think our two or > three minesweepers would r worry Russia." said Mr D I Harland when Mr Mitchell’s ’ first question was read. “She I has two or three thousand • ships." “1 think we should wholeheartedly support the GovI eminent and the Minister of Defence to get all thev can.” said Mr S. -I. Geary. “History I shows that we—and Britain—- , have never been prepared." Mr A. S. Farrar moved that Mr Mitchell’s letter be sent to . every member of Parliament in Christchurch. This was ,[carried.