‘Lend-Lease ’From U.S. Suggested

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31380, 27 May 1967, Page 1

‘Lend-Lease ’From U.S. Suggested

(New Zealand Preu Association) WELLINGTON, May 26. To allay the “very considerable” expenditure involved in overseas military involvement, New Zealand might be willing to consider entering a “lend-lease” arrangement with the United States, the Minister of Defence (Mr Thomson) said to the Wellington branch of the National Party.

Mr Thomson said he would certainly be interested to discover if such an arrangement existed between the United States and any of het allies.

The scheme would involve the leasing of United States military equipment in exchange for New Zealand produce.

Mr Thomson was answering Mr P. A. Steele (Karori), who asked why New Zealand did not increase her Vietnam commitments to a proportionate basis with Australia.

Mr Thomson said manpower was not the only factor. The cost of such overseas expenditure would be “very considerable.”

Asked whether New Zealand was pulling her weight as far as conscription was concerned, Mr Thomson said there had been no proposal to increase New Zealand’s deployment overseas.

New Zealand had “just enough" military reinforcements, Mr Thomson said. The pressure on the labour force was against the services getting the men they wanted.