DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND.

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1936, Page 8

DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND.

(To the Editor.)

■Sir, —When the cold light of reason penetrates fervid imagination and emotions 1 , progress can be said to have occurred. Still, "J.W., ” of Westport, proceeds fo demolish with mathematical pro.cisiou Hie danger, real or imaginary, of an invasion 'in future years of the .shores of New Zealand by a foreign polwer. It hardly seems possible that, "anj’ country would eonsidei 1 a war of aggression for the t-o'e purpo.se of the acquisition of New Zoalan-d"; buf when Britain is busily engaged in Europe—a.s she may very well be in the years to epuie—it will be beyond the bounds of possibility for her to render any assistance to New Zealand in lire event of an invasion by Japan or any other country. Any conflagration in 'Europe,, we are informed by writers, ivv’.ll be the enfl of AV estern civilisation (?). Any power which cam keep outside of tins conflict will be in a sufficiently virile position to demand their own terms, and if they see a country like New Zealand, sparselv ]vopulated and richly endowed by nature, inhabited by a people unarmed and unprepared, they would take measures to dictate terms a-s to rght of entry, not necessarily occupation, but by siege and moral disintegration with repetitive bombardment. Writers on this subject

should remember that the pressure of people of any country is from within. Visuali.se the life-stream of one and a-half million peop'c completely disorganised over a considerable length of time! Being unable to retaliate, owing to lack of necessary defence forces and munitions;, exasperation would tenj to make the people succumb to Hie inevitable. We have for defence two cru’sqrs, two sloops; and: a few mines for harbour defences, a. fort or two with guns which will be easily outranged, and a land force so numerically .small as to be negligible, tha air force handicapped by .lack ,of modern machines and personivol for replacement of casualt'cs “J.W.” in his article' says: “Tn the event of invasion, New Zealand woul'd. no doubt, place an army of 150,000 under arms.’’ Arms indeed! What—sticks and stone® 1 ? The New Zealand army of 100(000 he mentions were munitioned by the Imperial au'thorties. Could wo munition an army of 150,000 here? Even temporlar’l'y, it, would be a difficult job. and if convoys are regulated by the speed of the slowest ships, liven it would take more than 21 days from Britain to New Zealand for supplies t.o reach us. Australian help could be discounted, as she would be too preoccupied with her own salvation. Therefore, whilst undoubtedly war is detestable, at the present. time -f. would bo folly not to bo prepared for oventimFf : es. Can we say that a more affirmation of peaceful intent would preserve us from aggression, and are we convinced that our safety lies in platitudes and evasion of the issues

which will faee| maybe, our children’s children? Definitely nol By being prepared, we are less likely io be assailed. and more likely to work out our destiny in peace. Even your correspondent, “J.W..’’ shows a bellicose attitude, not to the established fact, but to the mere idea of such a happening, for he states “the assumption has been made that the Japanese are to be allowed to attack the eoun'try without any interference by the pcopt'o .of New Zealand.’’ This m followed by a. question: “Would the people of New Zealand remain passive?’’ Tin’ question is: Could they be anything eh'e but passive if they were in no ease to resist ? Tire ideas upon this subject are manifold; every nation war to be abhorrent: and the peculiar feature is that the proponents of collective security have enunciated a. policy of force wheyi they declare an hit ernat ionril army and navy is essential 1o restrain an aggressor. “J.W. ’’ mentions fear breed hatred, and hatred causing war: yet we will sloe. by the above we are going t,o preserve peaeoi in the comity of nations by instilling fear into a

would-be aggressor, and,, as always, the pressure- of the population is from within. Wo are faced with the fact that force, passive or active, is essential to- life, and if we Uy in tho facie of nature. we|ll, it’s just too bad, for thei fat will bo in the m'ddle of tho lire. These few ideas on the subject may lead us t.o be. ieve that thc„j problem i. s a. vast one, and can only lie dealt with somewhat sketchily in this manner. Moreover; it may, or mav not, lea,] us to believe in an aceeplaneet ,of the fact that the greatest danger of democratic government is the fact of such governments bein »■ elected by the peop’c. I am. etc., W.F.J. ~