URGENCY STRESSED

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4812, 19 July 1939, Page 5

URGENCY STRESSED

DOMINION AND DEFENCE. RELATIONS IN PACIFIC. VULNERABILITY OF PORTS. “I have a deep conviction that New Zealand is not doing her fair share in the defence of the Empire or has taken the necessary steps to prepare herself,” said M. A. L. Tompkins, of Hamilton, who with Mr. R. D. McFarland, of Hamilton, spoke to the Hamilton Rotary Club in support of the Prime Minister’s appeal for recruits. “1 only hope that the present recruiting campaign will have the effect of arousing public interest to the seriousness of the position,” added Mr. Tompkins.

Referring to the possibility of Japanese aggression in the Pacific, Mr. Tompkins said Japan had never been beaten in war; she had defeated Russia, secured control of North China and appeared likely to do the same in South China.

“We have found Japan gradually coming into the Pacific where she has established bases not very far from Australia and New Zealand,” continued the speaker. In the event of Britain being occupied with trouble ir Europe, Japan would have practically a free rein in the Pacific.

Inviting Trouble.

At present, said Mr. Tompkins, there were 3000 effective territorials in New Zealand, who would be no match for a sudden assault by a well trained invading force of 10,000 or even less. The Dominion’s defences could practically be paralysed by seizing the oil wells at the four main ports, a move which could be accomplished in Auckland by about 1000 men. “As we are at present we are only inviting trouble,” Mr. Tompkins declared. In Australia a recruiting campaign had brought 80,000 trainees in a few weeks. New Zealand was asking for 16,000, but so far the rate of recruiting had not been good enough. There was the possibility that the United States of America would assist New Zealand in the Pacific, but the Dominion should not count on such support. It would take six months to train men, but men who were forced to fight without that training were just cannon fodder.