Unrelaxed Security For Britain

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 109, 11 May 1939, Page 5

Unrelaxed Security For Britain

New Measure Assures State of Preparedness

RESERVE TRAINING PROVIDED (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 9. The War Minister, Mr. L. IloreBelisha, moved the second reading in the House of Commons of the Reserve aud Auxiliary Forces Bill, which deals with the procedure for the embodiment or mobilisation of the reserves and auxiliary forces aud provides, as the Minister claimed, methods of instituting a state of preparation more appropriate to modern emergencies than the existing elaborate provisions, which date back over 50 years. He asserted that most of the armies of Europe were now kept in varying stages of mobilisation.

As a result of the provisions of the Bill the Territorial Army anti-aircraft units would be at their war stations all this summer, while a certain proportion of the Auxiliary Air Force would be iu training and tho Admiralty would increase the readiness of the Fleet Reserve, including the anti-submarine and mine-sweeping units. The Minister’s claim that no .exception was taken to the proposals of the Bill in any part of the House and that they were regarded by Opposition members and Government supporters alike as doing more than modernising and making more effective a part of the country’s defence machinery was fully substantiated when the Opposition spokesman, Mr. J. J. Lawson (Labour), after detailing the points upon which the Labour Party would wish to soe amendments of form, announced that tho Labour Party would not oppose the passage of the Bill. Mr. Horc-Belisha explained: “Tho Bill assumes that the situation which has arisen may continue for three years, during which time the Government should bo empowered to authorise the caliing-up of tho reserves without recourse to the more elaborate procedure.” The reserves hitherto were not called up for the annual 12 days’ training to which they were liable. They would bo required to serve three months, enabling tho Regular Army to train at war strength and preparing it to take the field at short notice. Individual auxiliary army 1 and anti-aircraft units would not serve over one month, but 3800 Fleet reservists and 1500 navy pensioners would servo three months in two batches. The Bill provided for the reinstatement of those called up in their employment after the completion of their term of service. Mr. Horc-Belisha concluded that it was possiblo, by viewing together the Reserves and Auxiliary Forces Bill and the Military Training Bill, to discern the outline of a system that would give Britain more secure protection in the immediate future. The Reserve Bill was read the secern] time without division. CONSCRIPTION URGENT BILL TO GO THROUGH QUICKLY (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 8. Tho Government has decided, in order to ensure the passage of tho Compulsory Military Training Bill and the Reserve and Auxiliary Forces Bill into Jaw before the Whitsuntide recess that it must ask the House of Commons to pass a timetable motion for the committee and remaining stages of both Bills. Four days will be ullottcd for the committee stage of the Military Training Bill—Thursday aud Friday of this week aud Monday and Tuesday of next week—aud tho report stage and third reading will bo taken to-morrow week. This will involve the Government’s taking private members’ time on Friday, but the Premier, in making the announcement, expressed tho view that it would permit full and fair discussion of the measure, the far-reaching importance of which was admitted on both sides of the House.