DEFENCE TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 3

DEFENCE TOPICS

NEWS FROM THE SERVICES [By Saw Browne.] THE ' GAZETTE' The following notifications are contained in ' New Zealand Gazette,’ No. 67, published on August 30;— THE OTAGO REGIMENT. Captain E. G. Gedgc, M.C., Southern Artillery Group, is seconded for duty with the Ist Battalion, the Otago Regiment. Dated July 11, 1934. Second-Lieutenant W. R. K. Morrison, from the Canterbury Regiment, to be Second-Lieutenant the Otago Regiment, with seniority from November 16, 1933, and is posted to the Ist Battalion. Dated August 13, 1934. NEW ZEALAND CHAPLAINS’ DEPARTMENT. , The Rev. Dr E. N. Merrington, M.A., Ph.D., chaplain, second class (Presbyterian), is transferred to the Reserve List, Class 11, R.D. 11. Dated August 13, 1934. The Rev. W. Maclean, M.C., chaplain, second class (Presbyterian), is posted to the Retired List with permission to 'retain his rank and wear the prescribed uniform. Dated August 17, 1934. NAVAL RESERVES PROGRESS OF TRAINING Sub-divisions paraded on their respective parade nights last week, 1 when good attendances were recorded. The instruction included gunnery, seamanship, rifle drill, mine sweeping, wireless, and signals. The siib-divisions will parade as usual on Wednesday and Thursday next, instruction by classes being on the syllabus. MINIATURE RIFLE SHOOTING On Tuesday a miniature rifle team from the reserve competed with the Legion of Frontiersmen in a friendly match at the “ Legion ” miniature rifle range at Wright, Stephenson, Ltd. A good standard of shooting was maintained on each side, and the match resulted in a win for the Reserve by a narrow margin. The miniature rifle range at headquarters will be available for practice af V to-night, ANNUAL MUSKETRY COURSE The first section of the annual musketry course for the division will commence at 9.30 p.m. on September 15. All ratings firing on that date are to he at the “firing points ” by 2 o’clock. The second section will commence at 2.30 on September 22 and the third section at 2.30 on September 29. VOLUNTARY TRAINING The wireless telegraphy and visual signalling equipment will be available at headquarters at 7 to-night. OTAGO REGIMENT PROGRESS MAINTAINED The standard of work being carried out by the. men of the Otago'Regiment on parade is steadily rising under the progressive syllabus at present in operation. Last Tuesday evening there were several recruits, mainly for the light mortar platoon, which was engaged for the evening on the drill of the weapon. The machine gun platoons received instruction in section drill. A Company spent an interesting night at musketry, aiming from the prone position, and Lewis gun work. The Signal Section worked on line telegraphy pro-, cedure, and the Intelligence Section studied map enlargement. Driving drill, with and without limbers, was carried out by the Transport Section. , All companies and groups will parade next Tuesday evening for a recreational, night (the officers and n.c.o.s as usual parading in uniform for instruction in the work for the following week’s battalion parade). The recreational programme this night calls for miniature rifle shooting and basketball. INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORGE A SUGGESTION As regards an international police force, is’there such a vast difference between such a force and the French Foreign Legion? asks “The Fighting Forces.” The Foreign Legion which is far larger than most people imagine, consisting, in fact, of at least 30,000 men, has never had the least difficulty in attracting recruits. From 1929 to 1931 recruits were enlisting at the rate of 100 a week and the numbers had to bo definitely restricted. There is little of Morocco left now unconquered, while Tunis and Algeria arc perfectly peaceful. The need for France’s wonderful Foreign Legion is slowly disappearing in the same way that our road-making policy is slowly but surely bringing peace to the whole Indian Frontier, as it lias done in Waziristan. Let us hope that in the near future there will bo no need for bombers, humane or otherwise, to keep peace on the frontier. And the French Foreign Legion might perfectly well form the nucleus of the International Police Force of the future. AIR FORGE AND NAVY BOTH NECESSARY Speaking at Brighton, Lord Lloyd said the National Government should pursue a determined national purpose. Restoration of national defence should be first of all : and then defence for shipping, for industry, and agriculture. “ There has been a great deal of talk recently about our air defence,” he said, “ and it is, indeed, high time that attention was called to the grave insufficiency of our home defences. But,” he continued, “ there are not lacking those who, in their proper zeal to obtain for the people- adeguc.te security jpom air ai'.r.'l:. rrgre that naval defence is now a matter of only secondary-

importance. That is not only untrue, but a very dangerous illusion. The need for the security of the towns does not dispense with the need for the security of the communications by which we live. If we cannot transport our manpower, munitions, and material from one part of the Empire to the other no enemy need bother to bomb our cities. We shall have been already defeated.” Lord Lloyd asked what had we gained by our pacifist policy. AVhile we had disarmed everyone had seized the opportunity largely to increase their armaments. We had gained prestige only with Left opinion—and European opinion that counted was moving Right. Could we moderate Nazi ex-, cesses or help Austria by surrendering all power to act? Had wo gained influence in the League by being impotent to fulfil our commitments? And were wc worth more nr less as an ally when we were the sitli Power in the air and could not defend our food supplies