N.Z. defence

Press, 26 December 1986, Page 12

N.Z. defence

Sir,—Some factors have been overlooked by Air Marshal Sir Ewan Jamieson in assessing New Zealand’s defence needs (December 15). If each superpower reduced its nuclear stockpile to, say, 30 missiles, it would still be capable of inflicting terrible damage; if missiles were totally eliminated each country would retain the know-how to rebuild more in an emergency. If a third conventional war occurred this century, it would end up nuclear. Mr Gorbachev is

clever enough to know that the only predictable thing about a modern war is its horror, and starting one would be a colossal gamble, especially in view of his country’s electronic “illiteracy” and many other factors. In any case, electoral trends indicate that administrations more dedicated to finding a peace formula might come to power in the United States and the United Kingdom in the next two years. We should keep our powdey dry and wait and see what happens there. — Yours, etc., VERNON WILKINSON. December 18, 1986.

Sir,—ln his letter of December 12, Vernon Wilkinson stated; “In ‘The Press’ of December 6, Mr O’Cain, secretary of the Plains Club, complained about posters attacking the club’s view stuck up around the city and added that he would welcome the chance to debate defence policy.” The article to which Mr Wilkinson refers contained no complaints by Mr O’Cain; rather, it said that the members were flattered by the publicity the posters brought their organisation. Evidently the heading on the article, “Poster attack pleases,” was not explicit enough to enable Mr Wilkinson to get the gist of the content of the article. Of greater interest is the response to Mr O’Cain's offer to debate defence policy with the authors of the posters. Mr Wilkinson has picked up the gauntlet with alacrity. — Yours, etc.,

C. MORRALL. December 14, 1986.