Security Must Come First

Northern Advocate, 28 January 1939, Page 10

Security Must Come First

-EARL BEATty

[Special to “Northern Advocate ”] AUCKLAND, This Day. Earl Begtty, in an address to members of the Officers’ Club yesterday, referred to the need for strengthening all the services in the Dominion. ,

He said the whole of the Empire was going through a transition stage in many respects because of the fatal policy followed for many years. “I have no doubt that in September last year you were just as concerned with the situation as we were,” he said. Distance still counted, however, and New Zealand, being at the opposite end of the world, its people could not have been quite as deeply stirred as people in England. Danger Not Realised.

“It seems to me that in this country the danger tp the democracies has not been fully realised by the mass of the people,” Earl Beatty added.

“Admirable as the sentiments of the Government are, to raise the standards of living and live in peace, ft cannot be done without security, and it is the responsibility of the Government that nowadays security shall come first on its programme before all else.” Pacific Vulnerability.

The problem of the defence of the trade routes in thdv Pacific Ocean and the protection of the Dominions seems to be altering every day. Its importance must increase day by day because it was only a matter of geographical knowledge to know that almost half the world’s population was centred round the Pacific Ocean and also, curiously enough, the lands which were the least populated and developed were the world’s food lands. “I do not think that you are in danger of invasion here,” Earl Beatty added in discussing the need for defending Fiji. If Fiji were taken there would be a danger. Britain needed a proper chain of bases and he believed that New Zealand should have a permanent squadron of ships based here permanently.