DEFENCE OF N.Z.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1939, Page 6

DEFENCE OF N.Z.

SIR J. PARR FAVOURS ) 'Conscription.

!I J er Press Association.—Copyright),

AUCKLAND, April 27

“When I came back from England six montlis ago I was struck iinmediately by the complete apathy, about defence,” said Sir James Parr in a luncheon address to the Royal Empire Society. (, We talk ; about social security when we have not even got actual security ”

Sir James said that-for seven years ,he was a member of- the Imperial.-Re-fence Committee. :;SAt.its meetings-the 'defehce' liluatipnevvas by Britain’s Traders with 1 , representatives of the that Mr Neville Chamberlain, not th£n ; Prime Minister, had given a warning* that the day was coming when Britain would not be able to protect Australia, arid New "Zealand, and they would have to take care of themselves. He had since then said so publicly, yet what had New Zealand done? Jfe doubted whether there were even; SOCK I properly trained soldiers in New Zen.-; land. Japan, on the other hand, cpujd nut 4.000,00 D fighting men in the field He believed Japan could, if war Began, join " with Germany and Italy She would immediately seize the opportunity lh the event of European war l . ,of coming down to New Zealand. • She of the country a'tgj knew "how " wonderfully productive Tf

Japan could land a division of 20,000 men, supported bv artillery and aeroplanes, arid, overwhelm the country. A r matters stood to-day tlie usual objections to' the possibility of Jananes'" invasion were problems of transpor* and food. Actually they had ample ships to transport the number of needed, and ari army Would have little difficulty in living on the country. Japan’s briny was one of the finest.ir the world, and British admirals had. told him the ' Japanese fleet was today fit to stand up to the British or American. What New Zealand rieeded above aT in defferice was man-power, and she. had not got it. There was "only one 'way out. That was not to rely or, voluntary effort. Much as he hated . the idea of conscription; there was nothing else that would prove satisfactory. / 1 ‘ '

N. AUCKLAND VULNERABLE, $ V .. •-r ' • . -?ts WHANG ABET, April 27. North Auckland, in the event of war in the Pacific/ would be one of the mosl vulnerable arid dangerously situated parts of New Zealand, if an invade* decided to secure a foothold, said Major-General Sir Andrew Russell las \ night, addressing a public m'eetitri* which endorsed the objects of the Defence League.

It was no longer possible to look tr the Navy for coastal protection. The foundations of an efficieht Air Force were being built, but it was necessarily small compared with the potentia’ forces of aggression. * New Zealand must rely on trained land troops to re sist an invasion. The experience o: Turkey on Gallipoli showed what sucl troops could dci.