N.Z.’s Lack Is Trained Naval Air Force

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1939, Page 8

N.Z.’s Lack Is Trained Naval Air Force

[Special to “Northern Advocate ”] DUNEDIN, This Day.

The weakness of New Zealand's defence, as seen by a former Admiralty executive, Rear-Admiral W. H. MacKenzie, is the lack of a trained naval air force, for use on sea-scouting operations during wartime. Air training on land, he said, was quite all right, but he urged that more attention be paid to the other angle, as New Zealand, if attacked, would be invaded from the sea, and naval air observers should have practical experience.

Rear-Admiral MacKenzie at one time commanded the aircraft-carrier Hermes, while his post was Director of Torpedoes and Mining at the Admiralty.

“New Zealands’s navy is her first line of defence, but for real efficiency .you must have an air force trained to co-operate With it,” he said.

“You should therefore concentrate on an air force, and naval co-opera-tion with the Air Force, for that branch of the Dominion’s defence will be very largely employed during wartime operations in the way of scouting and cruiser work.”