“PIECE OF FICTION”

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 99, 20 January 1933, Page 8

“PIECE OF FICTION”

Defence Minister Denies Recruiting for China

MACHINE-GUNNER STORY

A complete denial that the recruiting of men qualified in machine-gunnery for service in China was being carried out in New Zealand by a man reputed to be a British officer, was given by the Alinister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, in a statement on the subject yesterday. Reports have been current in Wellington during the past few weeks that a man holding army rank had been recruiting in the city and that those who, it was stated, were being induced to offer their services in China, were being guaranteed their expenses and keep. Shortly before the Maunganui left for Sydney recently some young men, who declared that their services had been sought, informed “The Dominion” that they were awaiting instructions about their departure and that they expected to leave with a detachment in the near future. They also said that a considerable force of machine-gunners was being organised in Australia. In view of the serious nature of the statements being made, the question was referred to the Government, and thorough inquiries were made in order to ascertain exactly what element of truth there was in them. Yesterday the Alinister of Defence made the following statement to “The Dominion": — “As a result of searching inquiries made by Defence officers and

the police into the statements you submitted to me, I can say definitely that the report that machine-

gunners are being recruited in New Zealand for China is a piece of fic-

tion. The name of the man of military rank given to your office as being engaged in recruiting ma-chine-gunners in New Zealand and the Commonwealth was found, on

a close inquiry made, to be employed in legitimate business entirely different from that mentioned to your office.

“The passenger lists with particulars of each passenger of outgoing steamers from Dominion ports have also been examined and, as a consequence, I can say there is no vestige of truth in the statements made.” ' DEFENCE STORES No Sales to Japan No military stores have been sold to Japan by New Zealand, according to a statement made yesterday by the Alinister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe. Reports that sales had taken place recently were referred to the Alinister. who said that reputable New Zealand firms had been the only buyers of equipment. “No equipment or stores of any description,” the Alinister stated, “have been sold officially or otherwise to Japan. The only sales made of surplus Defence stores have been to reputable New Zealand firms with whom the department l as been dealing for years.”

Air. Cobbe added that since the sale of bulk lots of surplus stores in August, 1931, to local firms, the quantities of articles disposed of by the department had been comparatively small.