BRITISH REARMAMENT

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 242, 9 July 1938, Page 7

BRITISH REARMAMENT

“The Big Stick” Regained

GROWING STRENGTH Major Percy E. de Bathe Brandon, who has just returned from a visit to Britain, was very much impressid with the activities relating to rearmament to be seen on all hands in Englund. “It would be no surprise to me,” he said, “if war broke out before 1940. but I would not like to say anything about the nations likely to be coneei ned. But at the same time, I think England has regained the ‘big stick,’ and is getting stronger every month in preparing for eventualities. Periltips it is on that account that recent reports are indicating a recession from the possibility of war.” Major Brandon said he bad had the pleasure of meeting Field-Marshall Sir William Bird wood, General Sir Alexander Godley, Colonel Lascelles, formerly of the Headquarters Staff in New Zealand, and Colonel Myers, of the medical arm of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, at the Anzae service at St. Clements Danes Church in the Strand on Anzac Day. The little church was crowded with former officers and men of the Australian and New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, all of whom were attired in mufti, but wore medals.

Building was very active in England. Throughout the country schemes of house and flat-building on an enormous scale were in progress, giving one the idea that perhaps it was being overdone.

New Zealand House, in the Strand, hardly did New Zealand credit. When he was there part of the front window in these offices, the office of the High Commissioner, were being used to advertise somebody’s oyster pills. One pill was said to contain the nutriment of three oysters. As part of the display some large oyster shells, larger than any Major Brandon had ever seen in New Zealand, were being exhibited. Although at the time he did not think much of the matter, it had seemed to him, on reflection, that to advertise somebody’s pills was scarcely in accord with the dignity of a High Commissioner's office.