PREPAREDNESS NEED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 117, 18 April 1939, Page 8

PREPAREDNESS NEED

PREMIER’S EMPHASIS. SIGNIFICANCE OF TALKS. (By Telegraph—Special to “Standard”) WELLINGTON, April 18. Proposing the principal toast at the State lunelieoii. in honour of the visiting delegates to the Defence Conference, the Prime Minister (lit., lion. M. J. Savage), to-day repeated his strong endorsement of President Roosevelt’s peace message and Mr de Valera's suggestion that it was better to have discussions before any smash up. The very fact that New Zealand was entertaining representative Australians and people from Home to exchange opinions as to the best methods of defence would be taken as an indication that we were not putting all our eggs into one basket. “We want,” added Mr .Savage, “to put every ounce into advocating methods of peace, but at the same time we don’t want to be caught napping. We want to know that our own defence is at least something like in decent order. The state of the world being what it is, we cannot afford to take chances.

“One of tlie best, ways New Zealand can help the British Commonwealth is by helping herself in strengthening her own defences, and I am among those who believe it is not a boy’s job, hut one in which we can al! give assistance. There are so many jobs necessary to be done if New Zealand became isolated, which is not an impossible thing, and this is sufficient to prove that there are not many people who cannot serve in some way. There is the transport, feeding, and clothing of troops, and looking after people who cannot look after themselves. Nobody wants these things to happen, but everyone will sleep more soundly if they feel we have not forgotten about any phase,” added the Prime Minister.