WAR FEAR

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 121, 19 November 1934, Page 8

WAR FEAR

DEFENCE POLICY

THIS WEEK'S CONFERENCE

AUSTRAtiIAfAND NEW

ZEALAND

(From "The/Pqirs^ Reiiresentative.) ■■:.:■■■- .i; /JuSYpisfEY; November '13.

Tho" fear of aiib thof \ wtfr • eeemed ■•■ to be, in the;hearts?qf v all*the- speakers at the yariqija Armistice-Day ceremonies that' were^heldVin'rAustralia5 this' year.. The pote'ntiaii;'dahgers;..&ssocia ted with world condition's.-as they:are'ioday;,provided ; they : theine; .fpr^todst'-'-;:/bf?ithe f speeches," wliether they;;Iwere "from -the pulpit orvfrbm'thejplatfbrrii'at, the-nunl-; erous servicesXq*f.'Commemqratiqn/^:;v was ge^yrall^^agreeS^th^t^a'r'.^.was' some!thing;.;tdJ;be^^t^dj:;,bUl;s'.;tii^.i'A'us--tralia and NewfZe'alaVdsmusti'abq^^ things, be prepteeifvf«^fhe;:\vb^st/«iius' tralia, it was;ipoinWd^p^i*syiiS^nqt^pre-; pared, /for ' in ;recent^yearst'ttfe'': defencepolicy had been;; a ■pbliey:; of'; drift. In these circumstanc.es; the^snnbuncement of an: inipending:y cenf erirace .Australia' and';"New"»;Zealand.,;tb' discuss vital matters"-! &S ectjjdg; thei;,defence policy -of each country-: was'particularly opportune. .-.■*'.£?■''■;'■.<!s■'■■*■:'. ',','■.-■ • . ' ' • '• The Australiari; delegation, headed by Senator Sir George Pear'ce; :ana accompanied by Sir Maurice Hank'ejy secretary of the Imperial Committee''of Defence, will leave- Sydney for, -Wellingto'jioii November 17, and" it is expected tliat ; the conversations" will take about a week. ■ One of. the vital matters to be discussed is the 'policy in connection with the Koyal Australian Navy and its co-operation 'with" the /New Zealand Squadron. ■;Now that the-Singa-pore 'Base has been almost completed, and will soon be an integral part of the defence scheme of both the China and the Far East British fleets, it -will be necessary to. consider a: revision of tactics, land.on this point the advice of Sir Maurice Hankey will be of the utmost importance. .-'■,. .■.'.'.-' ;'.. SHELLS AND HIGH fiXPLOSIVES. . It is Understood that the, question of New: Zealand ; obtaining all her miinition^;siapplies from Australia.:will also be discussed, and it is significant that the Australian 'delegation;'wili. include the chairman of the Australian' Munitions>Bbard; (Mr; Leighton).;, Recently a^ large/quantity";bf'Nev^.Zealand artillery; ammunition;}was ;recbnditibned''ih 'Australia^ and further prdbrs/i for shell' and' high /esplosiyeKniatenal: hayja been placed )witliVAusjtraUamfmUnitibn'^^ in the.past fewimonths./ /; '■'/'f£t'v'?'i\ ■'The;,questibu\pf the prqvisiqri;,of'-ade: qua^:-bayes;,for/Beagt)ing"fleetsj'-itheiio" .^^vision■ qf / arrangements .for ?;conyoy' of : and';/b|^er'r'imaiteirs /-f or operaiiitm^,bf, laM-^arships^andt theJ/British j^leei/ a^e'..'p'ther;mattbrs-likely: to be discussed.

;'; Eobent ideyelqpnients; '* in/;the/vus^(:' of; kircrdfS/as/a/Supple^ientaryi; fleet /arinj ■wlll^"also/be/.explained«to/the conference.': It-;has; been 'statedjan/; Sydney: f't'Hat, the new /defenee;',;;po'licy;'contemplates the strengthening of Australia's niaval/air force, and-: that it is possible/that", a new and modern aeroplane carrier/ will be secured to take the place/ofith^Alba-: trqss, which was obsolete be|bre°it-was completed—aiid;ihe'.!Albatross:.-li^s h?en in"; - commission' • f or/ / many; "years'. It /is. suggested/.that -the^programme .of .con/ •/7 i erßipn'i''of^hfl:.."'AußttalOT^:Navy^*tp' a 'new/standardipf,light/cru^ers";:pf:':about eOOO/tons^and/'iffieXuseSbfinidre/destrqyers/q'f/a^ :heayierHoinageJ:than/the pre-. sentyjiies^inay ' : b&;':B\iflp^ae'di,untilsp'r'pj' vision 'fttrv an.'adequate-fleet'air has-been''^ma'de;: .^neilast .^ede'ral>Bua:, get' proyided' ;f or ■ an', ie^n^ion /bf /jnuni :: tion ,manufacjturing/ ,re^cni*ceis *-tt;vis/aia'--tticipated vin^def eneeipirclißS ;Vthat?;;this will bei'abceWrated^in^iew/^»f. /possible large purchases ;by^ ZealandjHand thut:;Austraiw;^W^b^Eb^?ii^re^ iinpqrtant in \ tKe ; ' new^ schemed of.'• th§ .Committee Vpf- Imperial^Defjence/fpr/the an^fpatrblSp^ithe^ yriThe deader/of'the Australian;'delegation is one of the most striking figures in Australian' politics. He held the portfolio .of,i Defence longerithan, any other/Minister, andhe has served under every Nationalist/ Prime Minister since Federation. He'is; one of the few Weste»n , AiTstialians : whe -,- have climbed to any/heighten .the Federal sphere;. rHe has done nothing spectacular, in the way of defence, but has proved himself an able administrator.. In recent years the defence vote has been almost, insig : nificaii;t^:*ut tif, 'is^iafeitcr; «ay4that,t Sir George :;?P,earcjS?;Swas;;/n6t ;:tp;^iblanie|f or

..'SJi^fMaurice jHankey' and SirA-: '<3ebrge Pear^eKttbgether: with .the Australian .del^tibH^will, arrive in/Welli:igtpni;on ~Wednesdayj/:v/,;■!;,;- ■■ ■.■:■. -i;'.-." '■■■ y : //j;//^;;