Politics And Defence

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 204, 26 May 1938, Page 13

Politics And Defence

Sir, —The statement made by the four territorial officers in your paper last week must have come as a severe shock to many. From time to time I have read in the papers of the doings of the military forces and was under the impression that the voluntary system was running smoothly, and in the event of war we should be able to send an expeditionary force to Britain’s aid. Let us now examine the position as at present:— , , . (1) Our only real market tor surplus produce is England. (2) Our trade balance with England is very one-sided. We cannot consider ourselves good customers of hers. (3) Communications are essential to our trade, and our seagoing trade is carried under the protection of the British fl8 (4) Our first line of defence is the British Navy throughout the world. (5) In the light of the above can anyone give a definite reason why m time ot stress Britain should worry about us it we are not prepared to. send an expeditionary force to her aid? New Zealand sent 100,000 men to help Britain in the last war, but under the present system we could send none; nor could we protect one solitary town, let alone city, in New Zealand with our present 3000 odd men and obsolete air force. I understand all the aeroplanes in New Zealand at present are right out of date and useless against a first-class Power. Mechanisation is the order of the day. Where is the oil to come from? Are .the territorial officers running mechanical units satisfied that their lorries can cross the same country that horses can? Why have not the senior territorial officers got some say in the system? As a layman I contend that the best defence that New Zealand can have is to guarantee to give an expeditionary force ot, say. trained men to Britain on the outbreak ot war and a further 10,000 every six months. This means compulsory training, and I back it to the limit. It would improve the physique of our men and knock some of the rough edges off them. Britain has wealth, but she needs men, and we have them—none better. Thanking you for this space and your fair criticism of our defence forces, and also thanking those four gentlemen who have risked their position to tell the public the truth. —I am, etc., APPREHENSIVE FARMER. Hatuma, May 23.

Sir, —1 have beside me Mr. P. M. Butler’s letter published in your issue of May 23. He blames previous Governments for having done so little toward defence. Though I believe they did fail, yet public opinion at that time was so much against anything in the way of rearmament that it was difficult to get anything done. I speak from experience, for I have throughout many years been a constant advocate of national defence, and know how difficult it was to arouse public opinion. If I mistake not the Labour Party was more pacifist than most. Tliere is one thing that past Governments did for which I am grateful, and that is the contribution of £1,000,000 to Singapore naval base. This, I believe, is a great contribution to our defence. The present Government has done something in the way of defence, but in view of the great and pressing need to-day it is only as a drop in a bucket. Certainly they have imported a few aircraft, mostly bombers, about half of which are out-of-date. As a means of defence these few aircraft are totally inadequate. lu any case aircraft are of little worth as an effective defence against naval attacks. It must be remembered that New Zealand’s safety or otherwise would be decided, in the first instance, beyond the reach of our few bombers. Our defence is first a naval issue. Once we lose control of the sea, our few defences will be of little value. It is obvious that we, the British Empire. must have an adequate navy. This is absolutely essential. But what is the Government doing? Little or nothing in this direction. New Zealand should have had by this time at the very least one first-class ship of war constructed, apart altogether from such vessels as Great Britain in her generosity loans to us. Previous Governments should have seen to this; but the present Government is equally if not more culpable. The sum of £1.500,000 devoted to defence by the present Government is totally inadequate, and forms a complete answer to Mr. Butler. For my part I am ashamed that the Government treats defence with such miserliness. Our land forces are a farce. , , It may be stated confidently that the land forces at the disposal of the Government are so deplorably weak as to be practically useless to repel any worthwhile attempt to invade our country by a foreign Power. Our land forces are really unable to repel a small invasion. Tlie Government is spending money by the million on public works and so forth, and is carrying out many very doubtful and expensive experiments. All this it. is doing at the expense of Groat Britain, for if Great Britain spent only as much proportionately as we are spending on national defence our Government would not be in a position to carry out its extravagant proposals. In other words, wo, as a nation, are loafing on Great Britain. For this the present Government is responsible. It has been in office long enough, and the occasion is pressing enough' to have warranted a very much more vigorous defence policy than the Government is prosecuting.—l am, etc., D. SUTHERLAND. Wanganui, May 23.