"A DIFFERENT TUNE"

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 42, 18 August 1939, Page 8

"A DIFFERENT TUNE"

DEFENCE QUESTION

GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE

The suggestion that the responsibility of office had caused members of the Government to change their attitude towards the question of defence was made by Mr. D. C. Kidd (National. Waitaki), when speaking in the Financial Debate in the House of Representatives last night. In 1934, Mr. Kidd said, Mr. J. A. Lee (Grey Lynn), speaking on a motion in the House to reduce the Defence Vote by £50. said that New Zealand could not afford £200,000 for internal defence, not even £100,000. In the same debate Mr. C. Carr (Timaru) declared that money spent on land forces was so much money poured down the sink. Mr. Carr: So it was. Mr. Kidd: You would not get up on a public platform and say it today. Mr. Carr: Not now. Conditions are different. * __ Mr. Kidd: When you are in office" you have to make sane statements. Mr: Carr: How much did the hon. gentleman's Government spend on defence? Mr. Kidd: In 1914 to 1918 they stood up to all their responsibilities. A Government member: Clouding the issue. The present Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) had declared when in Opposition that defence expenditure was a waste of money, said Mr. Kidd. Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford): He believes in bulldozers. Mr. Kidd: The hon. gentlemen opposite are whistling a different tune today. The responsibility of office brings them back to earth.