DEFENCE OF GREAT BRITAIN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 81, 17 March 1934, Page 9

DEFENCE OF GREAT BRITAIN

New Territorial Branch Planned Set LONDON, March 16. Mr A. Duff-Cooper announced the decision to form a new branch of the territorial army, to be called the Royal Defence. It will be recruited from men no longer fit for active service, who will be used in emergency for the defence of vulnerable points in Britain, such as bridges, factories and arsenals and "not against, enemy attack but against persons of ill-will and foreign agents inside the country,” freeing younger and more active men for other duties. Labourites fear that the corps may be used as a Fascist force on the model of the Austrian Heimwehr, AIR FORCE INADEQUACY. J EMPIRE DEFENCE CONFERENCE. LONDON, March 16. ; It is understood that a debate is being arranged in the House of Commons for March 21 to discuss Empire defence, at which the Government will be pressed to take immediate steps to I consult the Dominions, as a result, of | which the Government is likely to call a conference for 1934. Many members of the House of Commons are anxious regarding the situation, especially the shortage of the Ait | Force on the Army estimates. | ARMY TRAINING CO-OPERATION. LONDON, March 16. In the House of Commons discussion on the Army estimates Wing-Comman-der James moved that Army training should be in co-operation with the I Navy and Air Force. I Colonel Moore-Brabazon advocated a single service including all three forms of defence—sea, land and air.