SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22382, 4 July 1936, Page 15

SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENCE

i ; t . ' MINISTER'S VISIT TO ENGLAND SATISFACTORY RESULTS ATTAINED (British' Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, July 2. The South African Minister of Defence (Mr O. Pirow), who left for Cape Town yesterday after spending three weeks in England, made a statement expressing satisfaction with the results of his visit. He declared himself particularly grateful to the United Kingdom Ministers for their eagerness to appreciate the South African viewpoint on defence. There had been useful discussions about the Cape Town defences, which would enable him to make proposals to the Union Government which he considered highly satisfactory. There had 'been an agreement that the civil air routes in Africa, more particularly on the west coast, should be developed in close consultation between the United Kingdom and South Africa. The expansion of the Cape Town harbour scheme would mean a radical improvement of the dock and repair facilities, and would certainly favour the increased use of the port by mercantile shipping. The reports considered had expressed the opinion that the increased use of South African ports was likely to be maintained. This route was a possible alternative for some traffic between the United Kingdom and Australia, which now passed through the Mediterranean. , Both the United Kingdom Board of Trade and the Australian Ministers consulted had shown themselves sympathetic with the proposed expansion of Cape Town harbour.

‘ The Times ’ describes Mr Pirow’s mission as “ a welcome but unexpected proof that the basis of Empire co-op-eration resides where, in the last analysis, it must reside—in the common needs of the constituent members.” It adds that at a moment when most of the world is thinking largely in terms of defence, such evidence of working solidity within the Empire is all the more encouraging.”