NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 July 1938, Page 5

NATIONAL DEFENCE.

LET JAPS INTO DOMINION. CHURCHMAN’S PLAN FOR MAINTAINING PEACE . FBy Telegraph—Press AssociationHAMILTLON, Last Night. ‘‘ To suppose that a large country like this could be defended with troops raised from our paltry population, two or three ships and a score or two of aeroplanes, is completely ridiculous, 1 think,” said the Bishop of Waikato, Rev. C. A. Cherringron, in the course of a charge to the Waikato Synod this evening, in suggesting that perhaps the best means of national defence would be to offer such potential enemies as Japan room for their surplus population within the Dominion.

"Britain might be able to keep the peace in Europe now that she is apparently armed to the teeth,” he said, "but could she guard her dependencies and Dominions, and especially Australia and New Zealand? Why not, as a. fresh, bloodless and altogether satisfactory means of defence, having in view, for example, such a possible and powerful enemy as the Japanese, offer them room in a land like this, which wo cannot possibly people?”

He understood the wliole of the north of Australia was at most, but sparsely populated. It was said it w r as an impossible country for w T hite people. Why not offer it as a free gift to the Japanese ?

“In 20 years/’ he declared, “they might make it a veritable Garden of the Lord. Wc cannot use it. Then why keep it, like a dog in the manger? Look at the waste in Now Zealand —miles and miles of land that our scanty population cannot make use of. Why not offer large tracts to the Japanese? We have all sorts of people of different blood living side by side with us notv, and it would be of no disadvantage to us if only live millions were admitted. New Zealand would not know 7 itself for the wealth that would ensue.”

Politically speaking, such a procedure might be regarded as wrong and chimerical, added his Lordship, but the matter has to be considered from a Christian point of view 7 or one’s Christian beliefs mean nothing.