White Paper 4 A Damp Squib’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31089, 18 June 1966, Page 16

White Paper 4 A Damp Squib’

(N.Z. Press Association? WELLINGTON, June 17. All the equipment New Zealand’s Armed Forces now had ships, aircraft and most of the Army equipment—had been ordered by a National Government, the Minister of Defence (Mr Eyre) said in Parliament today.

Speaking during the debate on the White Paper on defence, Mr Eyre said the Labour Government had ordered very little equipment during its term of office in 1957-60. “The Armed Services are better equipped now than ever before and this White Paper on defence is the best one ever produced,” Mr Eyre said.

Mr Eyre said New Zealand, as a small country, relied on the collective system of defence. “We have demonstrated many times in our short history that our approach to defence is a positive one,” he said. Mr A. J. Faulkner (Opp., Roskill) said the Labour Party would place “people before power” and would “fret less

about Peking and more about poverty.

“We are fighting illiteracy and poverty in South-east Asia,” he said. Sir Leslie Munro (Govt., Waipa) said the Opposition had no objection to the engagement of New Zealand forces in Malaysia. “Why do they object to engagement of our forces in South Vietnam?” he said. Sir Leslie Munro said the defeat at the recent Labour Party conference in Wellington of the motion by Dr. A. M. Finlay (Opp., Waitakere) calling for military protection for those sent to Vietnam on civil aid missions was a “humiliation and a disgrace" to the party which aspired to control the Treasury benches. New Zealand was exceedingly fortunate to be an ally of the United States, he said. He asked if the Opposition believed the United States was engaged in a war of aggression in Vietnam. Sir Leslie Munro said tribute should be paid to the Government and to the Minister of Defence for the degree of preparation that existed for defence of the Dominion. Never had New Zealand been better prepared to defend itself, he said. Sir Basil Arthur (Opp., Timaru) said the Government had fallen down badly in re-

gard to pay and conditions of servicemen. “The White Paper, if anything, is a damp squib.” A Labour Government would make the Army. Navy and Air Force attractive career forces, he said. Mr D. J. Riddiford (Govt., Wellington Central) said the White Paper was a most important document which emphasised the significance of New Zealand’s role in the Pacific. It was therefore of importance that the Labour Party should have given assurances it would honour treaty obligations. A number of speakers had said that the Labour Party, if it became the Government, would do so. Why had this been said so often, asked Mr

Riddiford. “It seems the lady was protesting too much." Mr W. A. Fox (Opp., Miramar) said the Labour Party and a Labour Government would always honour any pacts undertaken. The Opposition was fully aware of the great help th: United States gave New Zealand in the last war. More effort must be made to remove the causes of revolution, he said. Discussing the Defence Council, Mr Fox said it should include the Secretary of Labour. New Zealand must have what service chiefs thought it should have—a sufficient Regular Force of highly trained personnel which could be quickly moved to any area where it was needed, and sufficient reinforcements.