DEFENCE OF N.Z.

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20620, 30 July 1941, Page 4

DEFENCE OF N.Z.

AIR, SEA AND LAND EQUIPMENT OF FORCES SURVEY BY MINISTER (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, reviewing the work of the Navy during the debate on the Budget in the House of Representatives yesterday gave details of the protection provided for the Dominion against attacks from the sea. The New Zealand naval forces, he said, consisted of the cruisers Leander and Achilles, the armed merchant cruiser Monowai, the Government vessel, Matai and three other vessels, Gale, Rata, and Muritai which had been converted to minesweepers, together with six auxiliary minesweepers and a large number of motor launches for patrol duties. In addition, said Mr. Jones, three specially designed minesweeping and antisubmarine vessels which had been approved before the war to be built in Scotland as training flotilla, were nearing completion and would arrive in New Zealand waters before the end of the year. Nine steel minesweepers which were being equipped for antisubmarine operations were being built in New Zealand. A flotilla to counter the menace by magnetic mines was being formed, while three composite steel and wooden trawlers were also being 'built and a number of additions were planned. Forward Policy A very forward policy of naval defence was being pursued, said the Minister, and the Government was in constant touch with Britain and th<? rest of the British commonwealth regarding the measures that would be necessary in the event of war extending to the Far East and Pacific. Discussing naval personnel, the Minister gave details of the increases that had taken place and said tjiere were now 349 officers and 3834 ratings serving at Home and overseas, compared with 82 officers and 1257 ratings before the outbreak of war. Forty-six officers and 198 men of the mercantile marine were included in the present strength. There had been a good response 1 to naval .recruiting and there were 2402 candidates awaiting entry. Mr. Jones then dealt with army activities stating that the total number of men in New Zealand who had received at least three months’ training since the outbreak of w-ar was mofe than 73.000. Those trained included both the Expeditionary Force and the Territorial Force. More than 7000 members of the National Reserve had also received training and courses of instruction for officers and non-com-missioned officers had been provided for 6864 officers and other ranks at the army schools. Training Overseas Mr. Jones explained that only preliminary training was given to members of the Expeditionary Force in New Zealand and when the men went to the Near East they were finished off. Our men in Greece and Crete had made a name for themselves and they could not have done this unless they had been efficiently trained. The Minister also stressed the fact that the Dominion’s coast defences bad been considerably increased since the war began. A very material increase had been made in the output of small arms ammunition. The supply of field artillery from the United Kingdom and India had brought this branch almost up to war establishment, and the full war establishment of medium machineguns for the Territorials was now in the country. More than 1800 machineguns of various types had been added recently to the stocks. Air Force Power ‘The Royal New Zealand Air Force is now a ‘force’ in every sense of the word,” said Mr. .Tones, dealing with this branch of the services.. “Since the outbreak of war applications for enlistment in the Royal New Zealand Air Force totalled over 30,000 and the total personnel engaged in the airforce in the Dominion was now well over 11 times greater than it was at the beginning of the. conflict. The effort' had not been solely directed in supplying personnel for Canada, the Royal Air Force in Britain and local requirements, and they had been able to meet requests for the maintenance of a unit at one of the Pacific Islands. Mr. Jones said he could assure the House that no stone had been left unturned to protect New Zealand from invasion and the air training scheme alone ensured there would always be a large number of trained personnel available in the Dominion in case of emergency.