RISK OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 61, 9 September 1937, Page 10

RISK OF WAR

NEW DEFENCE SCHEME

LEAGUE COUNCIL MEETING

AIDING GOVERNMENT

'Question* of policy and of the future, activities of the Defence League o\l New' Zealand were considered at a meeting of the General Council of the league held yesterday. The Hon. W. Pferry, MX.C, Dominion president, pre- ' The chairman, in reviewing the: position since the last meeting,- said the league had had to postpone further action until after the Imperial Conference and the announcement of the Qovernment's policy, when they could see exactly where they stood. So far as the Imperial Conference was concerned it appeared that the position \tas that the British Government told the overseas, delegates that Britain Had her hands full in looking after. her own defence, nd the Dominions, so far as their own security was concerned, would hay to look to themselves, by placing their own houses in o|der. PEIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTS. "(The Prime Minister (the ,Rt. Hon. M; J. Savage), speaking at Panama on his return journey to New Zealand, siiid "he was convinced that effective ■ defence of the British Empire was necessary, and the Dominions would contribute to the present plans." On his arrival in Wellington he was in-, terviewed, and supplemented this cabled statement by saying: j'.'On the subject of defence, the viewpoint of New Zealand was that, just as we felt the Commonwealth should Kaye a common foreign policy, so we agreed it must have a common defence policy. We made it plain that ih> the consideration of this subject in New Zealand we were concerned not only with ■ the defence of our own shores: and our own people, but also with the defence of the whole. British Commonwealth." •.Then last week, in amplifying a statement he made regarding the possible cutting off of petrol supplies and haying to place reliance on the railways'for local transport, Mr. Savage stated: "What I meant was that we might.find ourselv.-. in a state of war," ss*id Mr. Savage. "We can't afford to ignore what' is hapoening in Europe today. Our petrol supplies come from overseas, and obviously they would nbt:be so great if we became involved in !war. As they are under present Conditions we can't take anything for granted." Then, said Mr. Perry, they ' had the new defence scheme an-1' nbuneed by the Minister of Defence. ; As.a Defence League they were strict- '■ ly. non-party political, and they had to I . look upon the question as a whole— i from'the points of view of naval air, • and land defence. It was announced ' list year that two cruisers of the Lean- 1 der: class were to be stationed here, New Zealand paying for their upkeep. Next-the Government had secured the loan'of the services of Wing-Comman-der the Hon. R. A. Cochrane, Royal Air Force, to advise upon air defence, and his'services were now being retained for two or three years. The scheme announced by the Minister of Defence for the improvement of the land forces was based upon much the same lines as that for Australia, and, While some might be disappointed that it;did not go a great deal further, still itvwas a step in- advance, and it was i the business of the League to help the , Government to carry it but—in other . words, to help the Government in find- ' ing the men to man the guns. ' DISAPPOINTMENT IN AUCKLAND. : 'Mr. H. E. Barrowclough (Auckland) ] said that one of the first things required- was that the Leagu° should ( have a constructive policy. With re- j gkrd to naval and air defence, there < had certainly been some improvement. ( Whether this was adequate or not they ] cduld not say, but with regard to the ] land forces the feeling in Auckland < Was that-they were extraordinarily ] low-and that the present proposals I wire inadequate. In 1930. when the i compulsory system was suspended, 1 this was ■ done for economic reasons oflly,; the voluntary system was re- j sorted to, and the establishment was 1 cut down by half. These economic 7 reasons now no longer prevailed. The ( voluntary system had' largely failed i as;they had not secured anything like i the numbers required, and ir many ( cases they had not got recruits of the l right stamp. Now. under the new 1 scheme they were to have four coast 1 defence-battalions with three months' ' training, byj it was questionable 1 whether with the rates of pay offered i they would get the recruits, then, as ] ■for the Territorial units, officers and 1 nic.o.'s were to do three weeks' training and the men two weeks, while ,week-night parades had been cancelled. It was questionable whether this would succeed, as both the employers and the volunteers would be affected prejudicially so far as tiny, of! for camp training was concerned. He was satisfied that they would get the recessary number of volunteers in times of crisis, ; . but the question then was whether they would have the neces- , sairy number of qualified officers and n.c.o.s to act as leaders. By the amalgamation of units and the reduction of the number of officers and n.c.o.s that position was going to be accentu- ' ated. They did not suggest that compulsion should be resorted to, but they felt that further inducements by way ■ of bonuses to efficiently-trained men \ should be offered. He saw no other means of getting sufficient and satis- . factory recruits. Mr. D. Crozier (Christchurch) urged that the Government itself should set an example by releasing Government employees for training. ACTIVE SUPPORT URGED. After further' discussion it was unanimously resolved: The New Zealand Defence League offers to the Government the assistance of the League in putting into effective . operation the defence scheme announced by the Government, but at the same time this league affirms that no system of Territorial training will be effective in;this country unless (a) an adequate number of recruits is attracted to the Colours; (b) recruits are. prepared to undergo a sufficient period of-training; (c) the right type of recruits is attracted to the service. , The League feels that these requirements can best be attained by (a) : active and enthusiastic support and encouragement from Ministers of the Crown, members of Parliament, the Press, local bodies, educational, religious, business, and professional leaders; and (b) by adequate pay to members of the Territorial Force. The draft constitution of the league, as-submitted, was finally adopted, and r 1 was' decided to go ahead with the formation of the league throughout the country, forming eleven district councils (with branches and sub-branches) largely on a provincial basis. Tho district, councils will have power to elect representatives on the general council. The annual subscription fee was fixed at 2s 6d, of- which the district councils shall retain Is 6d for the purpose of carrying out local organisation work. •'•