N.Z. LABOUR & DEFENCE

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1938, Page 7

N.Z. LABOUR & DEFENCE

MR POLSON’S ATTACK

On the Government

MR JORDAN’S GENEVA ATTITUDE.

[Per Press Association.! NEW PLYMOUTH, May 18. Criticism of the Government’s attitude towards Empire defence was expressed by Mr W. J. Polson. Nationalist M P in an address at Korito. The Labour Party, said Mr Polson, through its leaders, and particularly Rt Hon M J- Savage and Hon. W. Nash, had recently been noticeably making professions of loyalty to the Throne and had been acclaiming heroes of Anzac with fervour and enthusiasm. It was pleasant reading. The Labour Party’s members had not always been so loyal or. so enthusiastic. t In view, he said, of the attitude of Mr W J-' Jordan, the High Commissioner, at Geneva, under instructions from his Government, people might be forgiven for doubting their sincerity to-°lay. Mr Jordan had strongly disagreed with the policy of the British Government in seeking a settlement with Italy that would prevent war, and would make for better international conditions. They had the spectacle, said Mr Polson, of the : smallest Dominion, which was spending a paltry two or three per cent, of its taxation on defence, not only criticising Britain, which was spend- - ing fifty per cent, of her taxation for < a similar purpose, but actually har- ) assing and humiliating her in th>? 1 council of the nations. i

He’ asserted that the Labour Party had already made it clear that it would not assist with a single soldier if Britain were to be drawn into any war over Abyssinia, and was, in effect, demanding that Britain should risk a quarrel with Italy. Probably, Labour realised that the public was not aware of its action in Parliament in 1935, when the Economic Sanctions Bill was passed, before theh last i.ew Zealand Government went out of office. That Bin was passed by Empire Parliaments, at the request of Geneva. It had been turned into a Military Sanctions Bill by the Labour Party Before it would give its support, the Labour Government had insisted on a clause providing that, in imposing Sanctions on Italy, no person in New Zealand should be requir-1 ed to serve in New Zealand or over-] seas as a member of any military, naval or air, force, and no person should be trained. So Mr Jordan, at Geneve, knowing that New Zealand, through the attitude of his own Government, while in opposition, nad stated definitely that she would not help if it came to war, had yet demanded of Britain that she should take a course calculated to lead to war.

Mr Polson read a telegram, from Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, in support A his assertion that Clause 3 was included to meet a Labour objection that power, undeu the Economic Sanctions Bill, might be used to compel service in military forces, either in New Zealand or overseas.

Actions spoke louder than words, said Mr Polson, and the fact that New Zealand defence forces were being turned into a farce was known to every volunteer. Only the other day, they had read an assertion of a representative of the New Zealand Defence League, that the defence force was down to a disorganised, half-trained 4,000 men. The Labour Party could put the ostrich in the shade when it came to ignoring responsibilities which did not suit its peculiar opinions, but it could hardly camouflage these faces.

GOVERNMENT'S WORK

AERIAL DEFENCE. RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS.

AUCKLAND, May 18.

Hon. F. Jones, at Dargaville, said: “The Government has: (1) Established an air force as a separate service of the Crown, organised so that it can take its appropriate place alongside the other two services in the defence of New Zealand.

“(2) Approved of the formation of two new operational stations—one at Ohakea, near Feilding, and one probably at Whenuapai, near Hobsonville. “(3) Established a flying training school for pilots for the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Wigram Aerodrome, Christchurch. “(4) Approved of the establishment of Hobsonville as a repair base and stores depot. “(5) Orders have been placed for the immediate supply of ammunition for bombers, also for spare parts for machines and other spares. “(6) Arrangements have been made with the Air Ministry in Great Britain for the acceptance of locally-se-lected candidates from New Zealand for direct entry into the Royal Air Force on short service commission. Previously, these lads had to bear the cost of proceeding to England and ( risk being rejected on arrival there.) So far, 90 candidates .have been sent Home under this scheme, and further batches will go forward each month. We have an agreement with the Air Ministry to send 150 candidates between April of this year and March of next year.

“(7) A squadron of the Territorial Air Force has been formed at Wellington, and the formation of territorial squadrons at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin at a'cost of £lOO,OOO has been approved. The organisation has been much facilitated by the provision at exceptionally low cost of 29 Baffin aircraft from the Air Ministry’s reserves These aircraft carry three-quarters of a ton of bombs, are easy to handle, and quite fast enough for the purpose required, which is to overtake and attack enemy ships. They have a good defensive armament.

“(10) The Government has established a scheme for a civil reserve of pilots, and has entered into an agreement with the aero clubs of New Zealand by which 100 pilots for the reserve are trained annually, and given refresher courses for the two succeeding years. By this agreement many capable young lads, who otherwise would not be able to obtain an ‘A’ license owing to their inability to meet the cost involved, will be given an opportunity of learning to fly-

“(11) An agreement has been entered into whereby aero clubs of the four principal ©ltles carry out the

preliminary training, over a period of two months each, of 50 candidates for the Air Force. They are then transferred to Wigram for further training for a period of nine months, after which they proceed to Great Britain on short-sendee commissions to complete their training in the Royal Air Force. Six such partiallytrained pilots have already gone to England. The Air Ministry reimburses the Government by £1550 for each pilot trained under this scheme. This offer was made to the previous Government, but was not accepted.

“(12) In addition to assisting the aero club movement by giants for the training of pilots of the Civil Reserve, the Government has granted assistance, through interest-free money, for the purchase of aircraft, and by the gift of four aeroplanes during the last financial year. “(13) The Government has established an Air Force Reserve under which pilots will be given an eight months’ course of training at Wigram and then return to civil life. “(14) Approval given for the increase in the permanent personnel of the Royal New Zealand Air force from 130 in 1935 to 900.

“The inspection of aircraft is being) brought into line with the standard i practice of other countries. The Gov-j ernment approved of the appointment) of a chief inspector and two inspectors of aircraft, an office engineer and a technical assistant in the aeronautical inspection branch of the Air Department. “An aeradio committee, which has already done excellent work, was established to advise the Government of the requirements of radio aids for commercial and civil flying. Much of the equipment is now coming to hand, and when installed will increase to a very high degree the safety factor in flying. “There has been established on Raoul, or Sundav Island, in ■ the Kermadec Group, an aeradio station from which weather reports are being received daily. They are of value to shipping, and will be extensively used when the flying services are operating over the Pacific and the Tasman Sea. . “Definite progress is being made in connection with the establishment of the trans-Tasman service, and an announcement on this subject will be made shortly. “The development of aerodromes and the provision of emergency landing grounds have been actively continued throughout New Zealand. “Under legislation passed last year] an Air Board was established and vested with powers for the administration of the Air Force similar to those possessed by the Naval Board for the administration of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. I am satisfied that the steps already taken will make for better and more harmonious control and administration of aviation. “The following figures relating to expenditure on aviation (service and

civil) during the last 10 years are of considerable interest: 192/-28, £29,158; 1928-29, £83,405; 1929-30, £92,053; 1930-31, >£62,198; 1931-32, £26,663; 1932-33, £27,715; 1933-34, £49,474; 1934-35, £167.962; 1935-36, £352.749; 1936-37, £502,289; 1937-38, £567,484.”