PEACE AND WAR

Matamata Record, Volume XIX, Issue 1742, 25 June 1936, Page 4

PEACE AND WAR

S.Z.R.S.A. VIEW . _ ■ ~s Resolution Approved by Council What was described as a debate of high standard took place at the annual conference of tlje New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, on the question of peace and war. The committee which considered >*■ four remits on the subject, including two from Matamata, and one from Morrinsville urging that New Zea- | land enter into a war of defence only and not one of offence, decided not to recommend any put forward but to request conference to reaffirm the lengthy resolution of last year, which expressed appreciation of the efforts of the Governments of Great Britain and New Zealand in the cause of peace, and prayed for continued labours in this direction. It considered that in the present unsettled conditions of world affairs New Zealand’s defensive measures were inadequate, and urged attention to the sea, land and air forces, the training of leaders, which would ensure nothing but good in - either peace or war ,and that in the event of war the whole of the country s economic resources should be. conscripted and an appropriate plan prepared. ! As this resolution, which was ap--1 proved last year by 113 votes to 29, ‘ did not meet with the approval of ’ many delegates, a brisk debate en- ’ sued. Sanctions Approved. —Later in the ; debate the chairman of the commit-. . tee concerned agreed to accept an . addition in-the name of Mr. W. E. ; Leadley, Christchurch. This addition v urged the need for adequate defence • of New Zealand by the framing of a i defence policy embracing: (1) That s in view of, the Prime Minister’s de- ’* claration that “the first line.of dei fence for New eZaland should be in- I ** - creased population,” a scheme of ; planned immigration from Great Britain should be inaugurated as soon as possible. (2) That New Zealand should support a reconstructed League of Nations, all the members of which would mutually covenant to apply full economic and military sanctions against a declared aggressor. Even this did not meet the full desires of conference, and later a resolution brought down by Sir Andrew Russell last year was co-opted. Tiiis contained the. following points: (1) Declared policy to be that if* peace, implemented by armed forces to secure such policy in case of aggression. (2) Inviting nations subscribing to a policy of peace to join with the British Commonwealth in consenting to pool resources -and armed strength in defence of this policy. (3) Members of the pool to withdraw from- ali foreign Entangle* ments. (4) Each nation subscribing to Submit any matter of internal dispute to the pool and to abide by the decision of a conference set up by the pool. (6) Free access to ali members of the pool to raw materials of which one may have a superfluity and another a deficiency. (6) Maintenance of neutrality in case of war between non-members unless such war affected adversely the wellbeing of any member of the League. (7) Continued membership of the League of Nations as an instrument for discussion of difficulties between its own and nations outside the pool. The final result of a lengthy debate was the adoption of both of last year’s resolutions as indicated above with the addition of that introduced by Mr. Leadley.