OVER 160,000

Grey River Argus, 8 April 1943, Page 4

OVER 160,000

MEN IN N.Z. FORCES 20,000 in Pacific isles 35,000 IN AIR FORCE [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.J (Rec. 7.30) LONDON, April 6. . The New Zealand Minister ot Defence, Hon. F. Jones, has arrived in London. Mr. Jones to-day, said his main mission was to see New Zealand Forces, in whatever theatre of war they might be serving, and to establish anyj contacts calculated to assist himself as Minister of Defence. Speaking of the Pacific war, Mr. Jones sa'id the Japanese had suffered enormous losses. But as a fighter the Japanese was a tough nut and it could not be said yet that everything was safe in the Pacific. The Japanese Zero fighter had not lived up to the high reputation it had gained early in the war. It was possible this was due to the loss of well-trained personnel. Mr. Jones said he was most impressed with the rapidity and extent of the work done by the Americans at various, air bases. He was hopeful thiat the United States would be able to provide all the aircraft necessary for New Zealand to engage in offensive as well as in defensive operations'. Like Australia, New Zealand had always placed the highest value upon aircraft being the best and quickest way to deal with attempts at invasion of the Dominion. They had been confirmed in that view by successful operations in and around New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. The New Zealand Air Force, had, he said, grown rapidly from about 100 of a personnel in 1936 to the position L'o-da.y, when there were ten thousand New/Zealand airmen serving overseas, and twenty-five thousand more men in training at home. New Zealand owed much to R.A.F. officers during two critical years before the war.

Compared with the last war New Zeeland was in a different position to-day, remarked Mr. Jones. New Zealand now had to maintain a standing army for defence as well as join in the fighting overseas. Mr. Jones revealed that New Zealand has now twenty thousand troops in various Pacific bases, though they had not yjet taken part in the fighting. The New Zealand Navy had grown from a strength of seven hundred before the war, to seven thousand men now. Of these two thousand men are serving at present with the Royal Navy. Mr. Jones said that New Zealand has one hundred and sixty thousand men in the ghting forces, or about one-tenth of her population. Despite this great withdrawal of workers, he said, New Zealand could show notable advances in industry. This has been possible because of New Zealander’s full realisation of a vital necessity to help the United Kingdom and the United Nations to win the war. Longer hours were being worked. Women and wives of men in the forces had entered industry of all sorts, and many old people, including, pensioners, had been ready to give up their benefits and go back to work. To save shipping, New Zealand had undertaken to play a full part in feeding the American Forces in the South Pacific. The output of munitions was five times what it was before the war. New Zealand now was making her own small arms, ammunition, mortars, hand grenades, and Bren-grun carriers, but still had to rely upon abroad for guns, etc., There were seventy-seven thousand persons in the manufacturing industry in the Dominion. Of these fiftyeight per cent, were working for the Armed Forces, or the Government, or on certain export contracts.

Pacific Needs More Planes JAPS MUST BE WATCHED CLOSELY. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 11.10) LONDON, April 6. Hon. F. Jones forecast the modernising of the Air Force in New Zealand, and expressed confidence that Axis forces in Africa would soon oe cleaned up. He gave a warning that Japan must be watched closely in the Pacific. These were points made by Mr. Jones at a press conference! at the Savoy Hotel. He stated he had not seen the New Zealand Division in the Middle East, as they were engaged on operations, but he intended seeing them before he returned to New Zealand. Mr. Jones said “The purpose oi my visit is to see New Zealand troops as tar as possible in any theatre ot war where they are serving. In England I hope to see the Forestry, and Air and Naval units. I hope as soon as the time is convenient to return to the Middle East to see our Division. I cannot go back to New Zealand without seeing them.”

N.Z. AIR POSITION. Commenting on the air position in New Zealand, he said “Vve are looking forward to modernising the whole of our Air Force. The Americans have promised us a fairly good release of aircraft this year, and, as they come forward, we will have no difficulty in manning them with New Zealand crews. They will-be used for the defence of New Zealand, and for operations. Up to date, NewZealand has sent ten thousand airmen overseas. We have over twenty thousand men in New Zealand being trained for operational aircrews, so when we have modern aircraft, they) will be a welcome addition to the Air Forces fighting in the Solomon Islands.” . Mr. Jones discussed the theory that the Germans should be beaten first, before attention is turned to Japan. Mr. Jones said “What if the Japanese proved superior in the Pacific area? I think that we have got to take effective steps at the present time against the Japanese. 'ihere is no sign of the Japanese proving superior. The fact of the recent knocks they received from the Australians in» New Guinea and from Americans in the Solomons proved the Allied troops superior. But 1 would not say that everything is over at the present time, or that we have got the best of them. We have no idea if Japan has got fresh plans. Seemingly she is trying to consolidate as much as she can. She works from island to island using, in the main, land-based aircraft.” TUNISIAN OUTLOOK. Mr. Jones, speaking on ’Tunisia, said The situation looks very promising. It should not be long before Iwe have cleaned up North Africa.'’ I The Americans had shipped great ’quantities of aircraft to the Middle > East, he said, but they were not neglecting their forces in the South Pacific. While going to America', he had visited various Pacific bases also Honolulu. He was surprised by developments the Americans had carried out on coral island bases. «lt was remarkable,” he said. “1 could not conceive that so much could be done in so little time.” In Washington thanks to Hon. W. Nash, he had made valuable contacts, meeting Sir J. Dill, GeneraL Marshall and Admiral King. “It was nice to hear the complimentary things they said regarding our forces,” he said. He paid a warm tribute to Mr. Nash’s work at Washington, and said general regret was expressed there among all sections when they heard

Mr. Nash was leaving to pay a visit to New Zealand. Asked whether the New Zealand Division would return home after the (Tunisian campaign, Mr. Jones said: No decision has been taken. It is a matter for the New Zealand Parliament.’ N.Z. ELECTIONS. To a query as to whether the coming general election in New Zealand was the result of differences on the war effort, he said: “No! 'there are no differences of opinion. 1 think our people realise that we have to win this war, and that if Britain fell our position would be untenable." He added that he had no doubts the Government would be returned with a bigger majority than ever. Mr. Jones particularly, praised the work of the railway companies in Lebanon, Syria, and 'Palestine. Some units now had returned to Maiadi, hut he could not say where they would be' given work next. Mr. Jones said that more air strength is needed in the South Pacific before the Japanese could be got out. New Zealand’s air strength included Flying Fortresses, Hudsons, Kittyhawks— and some Ansons. Asked whether New Zealand was satisfied with her aircraft deliveries, he replied she would be satisfied it she received the .aircraft promised this year. The earlier promises had not been kept, because of unanticipated demands from other war fronts. “We still want more modern aircraft, so that we shall have a modern air force, and be able to put up an effective fight,” he concluded.