BELGIUM’S FEAR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 313, 2 December 1933, Page 8

BELGIUM’S FEAR.

MILLIONS FOR FRONTIER WORKS The Belgian Cabinet at a special sitting recently, which was presided over by the King, voted 750,000,000 Belgian francs (£6,800,000) for the strengthening of the country’s frontier defences. The measure, which has to bo submitted to Parliament, is believed to be connected with the nervousness felt in Belgium as the result of recent developments. M. Deveze, Minister of National Defence, Iras spent most of the summer on a tour of inspection of the Army and of the frontier defences, and he recently stated that considerable progress had been made with the plans for protecting the Eastern frontier in case of sudden invasion. Receiving the Press, he stated that the decision taken by the Council of Ministers was but the putting into operation of a defensive plan drawn up in 1931. He explained that approximately £2,090,000 would be allocated for frontier fortifications and the completion' of the fortified positions ol Liege and Namur as well as the organisation of another fortress in the neighbourhood of Ghent.

It is believed that these defences also include a network of concrete pillboxes protecting the Namur and Liege approaches to the Meuse Valley on similar lines to the French eastern defences and continuing to the Dutch frontier.

For the field army and for necessary equipment and material for the air force, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and protection against gas, some £3,900,000 will be allocated. The Minister emphasised the agreement which existed between the members of the Government and the technical experts who had drawn up the defence plans, and expressed the hope that Parliament would display the same spirit of patriotism.