REFERENCES IN COUNCIL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 18, 21 July 1939, Page 5

REFERENCES IN COUNCIL

Reference to the question of defence was made during the course of the Address-in-Reply debate in the Legislative Council yesterday.

The Hon. T. Brindle (Wellington) claimed that much of the agitation about the need for land forces was political in its aims.

The Hon. J. McLeod (Taranaki) said that he had joined the Defence League not for political reasons, because * the League was strictly non-political, but because it was a patriotic movement. After he had joined he learned the Government had been doing many of the things the League wanted done, and if the Government had taken the public into its confidence the League would not have been so critical and would not have been accused of political bias as a result.

Mr McLeod commended the Government for arranging the Pacific Defence Conference, but added that he considered New Zealand was not doing enough for defence in comparison with Great Britain. However, he was pleased to see that the Government was awake to the situation and was measuring up to its responsibilities It would be unfair not to give credit where credit was due.

Beginning in June, the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway had 66 express trains making daily start-to-stop runs at 60 m.p.h. or more.

Discussion on the motion was adjourned until later in the session.