OUR LAND FORCES

Evening Star, Issue 22719, 5 August 1937, Page 17

OUR LAND FORCES

DEFENCE STATEMENT EARLY [Pee Unwed Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, August 4. A statement on the Gove-nment’s defence policy in New Zealand will be made by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) within the next week or 10 days. This announcement was made by "Mr Jones at a luncheon today by tho Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association. 1 “ I am sorry 1 cannot tell you just now what is being done about the land forces,” he said, ‘‘ because I am not in a position to release the statement. We realise that we have not had satisfaction in the past with our land forces, and when 1 say that 1 am casting no reflection on the staffs, who have been carrying on very well in the face of difficulties. I hope to malice a statement within a week or 10 days about the land services in New Zealand, and the Government will bear in mind the necessity for the closest co-operation between tho three services. This Government is fully alive to its responsibilities from a defence point of view.” Mr Jones also made an appeal to employers to show their practical sympathy with tho work for the defence of Now Zealand by placing no obstacle in tho way of young men who want to go into camp. Ho suggested that where possible their sympathy should take practical form by allowing their employees full pay while they were in training.'