FULLEST SUPPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 91, 19 April 1939, Page 10

FULLEST SUPPORT

DEFENCE PLANS

DOMINION'S SAFETY

CLEAR LEAD ASKED

MANUFACTURERS' RESPONSE

An immediate response has been made by the Wellington Manufacturers' Association to the intimation of the Government of plans of a Domin-ion-wide organisation for defence. The executive of the association last evening carried the following resolution unanimously:

"That this association welcomes the indication given by the Prime Minister that immediate steps are to be taken by the Government to organise individuals and industries for the defence of ■■ New Zealand, and pledges the fullest support and co-operation of this association."

A sub-committee was set up to cooperate with the Government in any direction advised.

Speaking in support of the resolution, members said that though an industrial survey had already' been carried a certain distance, the difficulty up to the present had been that no clear lead had been given as to the part that individual firms and organisations might take.

It was fully realised, they said, that the defence of the Dominion involved much more than the enrolment of volunteers for the front line, and should war break out and New Zealand be in any considerable degree cut off from overseas supplies, the organisation of secondary industries would become of vital importance, not alone to meet the requirements of the defending forces, but to maintain civil life and activity.

What form of organisation might be evolved was for early decision after discussion between representatives of the Government and of the manufacturers, but it was suggested that a model already existed in the plan of co-operation and co-ordination between the Australian Government and defence authorities and the various Chambers of Manufacturers of Australia, whereby the services of manufacturers have been co-opted in a comprehensive scheme in which industry is- dovetailed into the national programme of defence. Reference was made by several speakers to the stirring address and clear warning given by the Hon. R. Semple,' Minister of Public Works, when speaking at Foxton on Saturday. So outspoken a statement of the facts of the world position and their possible impact upon the Pacific and New Zealand and Australia, followed by the indication given by the Prime Minister,'the Rt, Hon. M. J. Savage, that plans were being drawn for the; organisation of the whole of the resources of the country should be followed by a spontaneous response i throughout the Dominion. j The resolution and the views of the association are to be conveyed to the Prime Minister, and to the Minister of [ndustries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones), and the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple).