IMPERIAL DEFENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 November 1934, Page 7

IMPERIAL DEFENCE

DEBATE IN THE LORDS NEEDS OF NAVY [by CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, November 14. In the House of Lords, Lord Mottistone (formerly Major General Seeley) asked: “Will the Government clearly define defence, with the view of securing adequate recruiting in all three branches?” He said that without a great and sustained improvement in recruiting, the Government would be forced to raise the necessary strengths by means of conscription. Lord Beatty supported the motion. He complained that there was a section of the press which was leading the country to believe that the Navy was no longer necessary, and that it could be replaced by the Air Force. Lord Hailsham, in reply, said that modern development in warfare had in nowise diminished the importance of the older arms of defence. There was no less need in defence for a sealink. Capital ships were still unessential element in a battle fleet. “It had been hoped,” he said, “to have reached an agreement avoiding competition in naval armaments, while leaving us free to maintain our fleet, on which the Empire depends, at the strength necessary for our security.” Lord Hailsham said that there was no difficulty being experienced in the recruiting necessary for the expansion of the Air Force. The Air Ministry had already decided upon 11 sites for new aerodromes. The Government, he said, were straining every nerve to produce an atmosphere- in which an international disarmament agreement would be possible. Failing this the Government did not propose to disregard its responsibility to disarm unilaterally.

WAR MINISTER’S STATEMENT. RUGBY, Novembei* 15. During the debate in the Lords on the definition of the needs for national Imperial defence, Lord Hailsham agreed with Lord Beatty that modern developments did not in any way diminish the importance of the older arms in the service. Co-operation of the three services had never been more actual than at present. In reply to a question, Lord Hailsham said that the capital ship still forms an essential element in the battle fleet upon which the whole structure of naval strategy depends. Capital ships in the Navy, were approaching the limit for age and efficiency, and the question of their replacement was to be considered before very long. War-built cruisers were being replaced by a steady programme at the present time. The question of the number of cruisers necessary to provide for our sea communications was a matter for most serious consideration. The urgent and imperative necessity for maintaining the fleet in a position adequate to maintain security of communications was fully recognised. Lord Hailsham, after dealing with the Army, outlined at length the steps taken to implement the Government’s announcement regarding the increase in strength of the Royal Air Force. The Air Minister had definitely decided on eleven sites- for new aerodromes. The sites had been actually acquired or were well advanced towards acquisition, and the programme announced by the Air Minister was being steadily and actively pursued. British Ministers who have been taking part in the Naval conversations, were entertained at luncheon, to-day, by the Japanese Ambassador and his colleagues, at the Japanese Embassy.

METHODIST SYNOD

WELLINGTON, November 15. The Wellington District Methodist Synod, to-day declared its attitude towards war. The following motion, based on a. motion approved at the last English Methodist Conference, was adopted, after an attempt was made to delete the clause in it relating to rearmament: “Believing that war should be condemned as a crime against humanity and repudiated as a method of settling international disputes, we desire to add our quota to the plea that calls upon the Governments and peoples of the world' to turn from the policies of rearmament, and to direct their endeavours to the strengthening of the League of Nations and all other organisations which have as their object the maintenance of peace, the developing and applying of international law, and building up of human welfare.”