AIR DEFENCE MEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 139, 15 June 1933, Page 10

AIR DEFENCE MEEDS

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln Tuesday's issue of "The I'osf appears a list of amounts appropriated and. extended for State activities. -,lu-' eluded in this list'is one item which calls for strong comment. This is the amount appropriated for defence, £230,310, and the amount expended, £207,826. It would appear from these figures that a "saving' of £22,481 has been made:" This may. be saving in a sense, but is it not in reality false economy? Is it not "a penny wise and pound foolish," to further starve, our already skeleton defence force? It' is generally held by 'ritost.thinking -men in New Zealand wlio are interested in their country's defence that the soundest and most practical means of protecting these shores is by maintaining.an efficient and well-equipped air force. We have at present iii the Dominion, a hundred or so experienced pilots besides many who have at least learned-to fly and have varying degrees of experience. Some of. these more experienced pilots are also members of the Territorial Air Force, which, together with half a dozen or; so permanent air force pilots go to ■ form, the nucleus of bur air-defence.. But what of equipment? What .use is an air force without aeroplanes.? Ho\y can the-mem-bers of our air force train and maintain efficiency with "a. few obsolete machines, which in a'year or so will be totally unfit for use? What steps are being taken to replace" these machinfes, and why could not the so-called' saving .of '£22,000 be used to purchase new machines or to provide refresher courses for the pilots, who, I believe, onjy get-about; ten days' training annually? . -.....," ' ' 1 •

Actually the whole matter goes- very much deeper, There is the £362,000 spent foi1, naval defence. 'What use would bur ships be in withholding a powerful raiding force?. Modern bombers and'torpedo-'carrying'aircraft-could--resist the attack of a very powerful enemy naval force.—l J am, etc., ' "...' , .:■' I PEGASUS.