MR. NASH'S DENIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 4, 5 July 1939, Page 12

MR. NASH'S DENIAL

EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

"NO COMMITMENTS"

DEFENCE OF IDEALS

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.*

(Received July 5, 2 p.m.) LONDON, July 5. ! The New Zealand Minister of Finance, Mr. Walter Nash, denies that he made the alleged statement cabled yesterday, to the effect that New Zealand was unlikely to send an expeditionary force in the event of Britain being involved in war. "What I said was that it was unlikely that New Zealand would enter into any commitment to send an expeditionary force overseas," said Mr. Nash, "but what was necessary for her to defend her democratic ideals would be undertaken. "The Government will not undertake any commitments but will wait until the time shows what we ought to do. :

"We have accepted responsibility for defending New Zealand as a unjj; of the Empire and for defendif ". Empire interests in the Sout) Pacific."

A London message published yesterday stated:—"New Zealand is unlikely to send an expeditionary force overseas in the event of Britain being involved in war, although it would certainly defend its democratic ideate," said Mr. Nash, speaking at a dinner at Dublin Castle tendered by the Prime Minister, Mr. de Valera. Mr.' Nash added that New Zealand was very jealous of its sovereignty, but it was keener on the idea of the Commonwealth of Nations than on the idea of Empire. >