Northland Most Open to Invasion By Enemy Forces

Northern Advocate, 27 April 1939, Page 4

Northland Most Open to Invasion By Enemy Forces

- Sir Andrew Russell

VCETIILAND, IN THE EVENT OF WAR IN THE PACIFIC, WOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AND DANGEROUSLY-SITUATED PARTS OF NEW ZEALAND, IN THE EVENT OF AN INVADER DECIDING TO SECURE A FOOTHOLD.

Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, G.O.C. of Ihe New Zealand Division. IDlfj-lfl, freely expressed this opinion when addressing a meeting on behalf of the Defence League in the Madeira Hall. Whangarci, last evening.

There was quite a large attendance, presided over by Mr C. S. Lovatt chairman of the Whangarei branch of the Defence League.

In his opening remarks, Sir Andrew Russell dealt with the general disintegration of the League of Nations, and said that the world had passed our of the era of treaty-making and acceptance of the word of statemen, and entered an age of power politics, where only force counted.

He dealt fully with Britain’s whole- 1 hearted policy of rearmament and how, with the return of militarism in Europe and Asia, her counsel had sunk to zero and her “paper protests” against aggression had resulted only in humiliation. Japan Master of Eastern Seas. With her best troops not in China, and her fleet not engaged. Japan was virtually the master of Eastern Asian waters. Britain had no battleships based in Singapore at present, and it was quite conceivable that our naval forces, in the event of hostilities, would be bottled up there in the same way as the Russian fleet was at Port Arthur, or the German fleet in Kiel after Jutland.

paratively small number of Turks, who, however, had been continuously reinforced, so that before penetrating more than a couple of miles, the invading forces had been checked, and eventually compelled to move back some distance. The same would apply on the Now Zealand coastline if trained reserves not concentrated at a few places, were available to strengthen the defensive line formed by local soldiei’s. Action if Necessary Thinking about the position would not cure it; action was necessary, and to that end the Defence League had proposals to rectify our unpreparedness. For this it was no use blaming the Government—in a democracy the responsibility rested on the indiviual elector. A particular responsibility rested upon men between 30 and 50 years of age, from whom the country’s leaders would be drawn. Women, too, must take the sane outlook. Too much had been said about breeding sons for dannon fodder. Would mothers like their children to be slaves or serfs under foreign domination? Much better that their sons should be able 'to defend themselves and the country and traditions of which they were proud. Abused Liberty is Lost Liberty. “Abuse of liberty entailed its loss,” Sir Andrew continued, stating the three requirements of New Zealand to be; (1) We should definitely go back to the teaching of the Bible; (2) Solution of the economic problem was necessary in the light of the first requirement; and (3) most urgent oi all was defence. If our defence failed, the solution to the other two matters would not be through our own planning, but would be forced upon us according to the idea of foreigners. Defence League’s Aims Endorsed. Colonel Barrowclough dealt fully with the aims of the New Zealand Defence Le'ague, and at the close of the meeting the speakers were accorded a vote of thanks.

Recounting how the Sydney, with longer range and faster speed, had stood off and blown the Emden out of the water, Sir Andrew said there was not a battleship on the Tasman coast which could resist a Japanese battleship. Navy Cannot Defend Coast. It was no longer possible to look to the navy for coastal protection. So far as New Zealand's naval force was concerned, when a vessel under refit in England returned, our cruiser strength would be doubled. The foundations of an efficient Air Force, to equal two squadrons by the end of the year, was being built up, but it was necessarily a small one, compared with the potential aggressiveforces.

Determined troops could not be stopped by a few bombs from the air, as had been shown in the Great War and again in China and Spain. Even tanks were extremely vulnerable after this purpose had been served. Infantry Decide the Issue All these arms were merely accessories, determind men with bayonet and rifle being the deciding issue in any conflict. The first essential was to prevent the invader from landing troops. If the Empire fell, the Dominions foil with her, being quite unable to resist on their own the powerful Eastern powers. In the event of our coming out on the wrong side, perhaps all the Japanese would want would be free entry for their nationals. This would mean that our population would be submerged by foreigners. Japanese Eyes on N.Z. Sir Andrew had it on the authority of a friend, resident for 30 years in Japan, that there was no country which the Japanese felt they could colonise better than New Zealand, where the climate was very akin to their own.

The following motion, proposed by Mr H. W. Crawford, and seconded by Mr Roache, was carried unanimously: “That this meeting endorses the objects of the New Zealand Defence League 'and endeavour to enrol members as rapidly as possible.”

The best way New Zealand could help the Empire was to send the message; “There is no need to help us. We are prepared to hold our own.” This could be done when we had the trained men available at any point where the enemy attempted invasion. Close collaboration with Australia, whose interests were also ours, was vital. Northland Vulnerable Dealing with Northland’s vulnerability, Sir Andrew visualised the possibilty of several enemy transports, an arcraft carrier and the naval support necessary cuising down the coast. Fiji, defenceless like Geman Samoa had been, could be taken within a few days. The enemy would probably make one, two or three landings on the Northland coast, with say 40,000 men. Once established, they would probably throw up defensive lines north of the city of Auckland. Possible Plan of Action Their first job woud be to clean up the northern territory, placing men, women and children in concentration camps. There was very little in the way of supplies which they could not find in Northland, and they could live cn the country, thus cutting down the amount of transport tonnage—an all important consideration to an invading army. This could not happen unless Japan had at least temporary control of the sea. Even if the enemy vessels did get through, some notice of their approach and movements would most likely be given by our patrolling planes, and it would then be possible, if trained men were available locally, to resist invasion. Lesson from Gallipoli Tactics of this nature had been employed by the Turks at Gallipoli. Sir Andrew said. Sixteen thousand of our men had first keen opposed by a com-