N.Z. DEFENCE TRAINING ESSENTIAL

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1949, Page 5

N.Z. DEFENCE TRAINING ESSENTIAL

Conscription if Volunteering Fails

WELLINGTON, Feb. 25

Addressing the Wellington Trades Council, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, Prime Minister, said that if conditions arise where military training is considered necessary in New Zealand, every effort will be made to have a system of training on a voluntary basis, but if that fails the Government will have no alternative but to introduce compulsion for the defence of New Zealand.

The Press Committee of the Trades Council after the address, issued a statement for the press, recording that the Prime Minister emphasised his failure to understand and the Government’s refusal to tolerate persons who thought it quite all right for Eastern and Soviet countries to enforce military training and be armed to the teeth and who at the same time bitterly opposed any suggestion of the - right, of democracies to arm and train their people to' protect their democratic rights. Such people were obviously enemies of democracy and would be treated as such, said Mr Fraser. Mr Fraser declared that his Government whole-heartedly supported and adopted the policy of giving as much as possible to the workers from the country’s production, but the country could enjoy wealth onl5 r to the extent of its production and no more.

He would ask the trade union movement to examine the country’s level of production when considering whether standards of living and services for the people could be raised, said Mr Fraser. Mr Fraser said that there was a group of people who believed that by making extravagant demands they would cause economic chaos within the country and so damage New Zealand as much internally as an external attack would do. Such tactics could destroy the economy of the country and result in chaos. The following resolution was passed: “We thank the Prime Minister for his instructive and informative address and pledge ourselves to examine with an open mind the important matters he has placed before us." NEV/ ZEALAND AIR FORCE AUCKLAND, Feb 24. “Only a small percentage of the men required by the Territorial Air Force for ground trades has so far come forward,” said Group Captain T. W. White, Director of Reserves. He was appealing to members of the Air Force Association to volunteer for the Territorial Air Force, the active reserve, or the genera] reserve. He explained that all “duration of war" personnel who did not jom one of these would have their names struck off the Air Force reserve list. Comparing the strength of the New Zealand Territorial Air Force with those of Australia and Canada, he said that New Zealand *vas making a fine effort in relation to its populatlOn‘ WELLINGTON. Feb 24. The first meeting of the provisional council of the newly-established Nev/ Zealand division of the Royal Aeronautical Society was held recently and work has been started on matters of concern to the welfare of aviation in the Dominion, it was announced to-dav by the secretary of the New Zealand div’sion. Mr IT. N. Coleridge. . . . Other officers of the provis onal council are.—President, Air ViceMarshal A. de T. Nevi'He; vice-presi-dent, Professor T. J. D Leech.