DEFENCE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 21719, 14 May 1934, Page 13

DEFENCE TOPICS

HEWS FROM THE SERVICES [By Sam Browne.] THE GAZETTE ‘ New Zealand Gazette,’ No. 28, published on April 26, contains the following notifications: — THE OTARO REGIMENT Captain A. G. Williams, Regimental Supernumerary List, is posted to the retired list, with permission to retain his rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Dated, April 1, 1934. The undermentioned lieutenants on the reserve of officers resign their commissions : C. W. Cavzer. Dated, March 26, 1934. V. D’A. Blackburn. Dated March 29, 1934.

THE OTAGO REGIMENT MUSKETRY COURSE There was a musketry parade at the rifle range on Saturday when those who had not fired their course were put through. Members of the Machine Gun Company also fired their course, and the revolver course was fired by the officers.

OFFICERS’ CLUB SUCCESSFUL DANCE The members of the Otago Officers’ Club conducted a most successful dance at their club rooms on Saturday evening. The guests of the evening were Lieutenants R. A. J. English, Here, and Davis, of the Bear of Oakland.

SHIPS MUST GUARD SHIPS AEROPLANES NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CRUISERS “ We have reduced our defences to a dangerously low level,” said Mr Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in a speech at Plymouth. “ Reductions of expenditure have been effected by postponement of building, postponement of replacing of stores.

These may be postponed for a time, but they cannot be indefinitely put oft. Nowadays there arc some people who think the older forms of defence in the Navy are obsolete and. out of date. They would rather put their trust in aeroplanes. 1 agree if other count!ics have their air forces we must have ours, too. But don’t let us imagine that the aeroplane is a substitute for the cruisei. Ours is not a self-supporting country, and we must guard our ships with ships. There is no other country in the world which has done so much to demonstrate the desire for peace by actual disarmament as Great Britain. But there is a limit beyond which, we cannot go.”

AUSTRALIA’S, DEFENCE MAKING UP LEEWAY No great significance could he attached to the scheme recently announced in Australia for the improvement of the defences of the Commonwealth, said Mr John Fuller, of Sydney, in an interview recently. What had happened was that during the economic depression the defence system of the country had suffered, and had been allowed to drop back a little too far. Now the Government was making up the leeway. The new defensive measures had not been undertaken because of any threat of attack, Mr Fuller saith

THE SHADOW OF WAR

GROWING STRONGER “The shadow of war is growing stronger and stronger, and we are gradually drifting back into a world of jealousy and suspicion. Money is being spent like .water to. strengthen fleets and airships and to foster warlike inventions,” declared Mr J. G. Poison, principal of the Christchurch-Training College, in an address at the church parade of past and present pupils of the Spreydon School. He said that so long as there was an atmosphere of distrust among the nations war was bound to follow. “ Until the Christian idea of loving our neighbours as ourselves is applied to international relations we can never achieve peace;”