N. Z. s Realistic View Of Pacific Defence

Northern Advocate, 5 August 1949, Page 5

N. Z. s Realistic View Of Pacific Defence

SYDNEY, Fri. (11.30 a.m.). —“New Zealand’s armed forces will not be powerful judged by world standards, but New Zealanders have shown that they take a realistic view of the problems of Pacific defence,” says the Sydney Daily Telegraph in a leader today. “If the friendly nations of the Pacific zone get around to > forming a Pacific defence pact, New Zealand will be prepared to play her part. “Can Australia say the same?

“We have justifiably frequently asesrted our claims to nationhood.

authorise the establishment of compulsory military service, says The Times, of London, because both the Government and the Opposition were united in recommending the principle to the country. The newspaper says that New Zealanders, by common consent, are ready to take a full and, if necessary, a fighting share in the British Commonwealth's world responsibilities.

“Our representatives at the United Nations councils have thumped the table on occasions when taking a stand not always in line with that of the United '■ States—our bulwark if trouble came again to the Pacific. “But what force would we have to back up our arguments if ever the time came to back them up? “Before the strike threw many young men out of work, the Government’s call for voluntary enlistments in our armed forces met with feeble response. “We can expect that enlistments will fall away again when the strike ends. “If we, too, take a realistic view of our defen*- responsibilities, we should face the “ct that our voluntary system is on trial. “If it fails, we may have to considei following New Zealand's lead.” “LESSON FOR US” Under the heading “New Zealand Vote Has Lesson For Us,” the Sydney •Morning Herald comments: “Mr Fraser has won his campaign for peacetime conscription in New Zealand by more thou a three-to-one majority. “The overwhelming ‘Yes’ vote is more than an endorsement of Mr Fraser’s (which was also the Opposition’s) policy; it is a popular demand that the Dominion shall train its young manhood for defence. “The loudest opponents in the assorted group of anti-conscriptionists were New Zealand Communists. “Their motive was the same as that of comrades everywhere else —to keep the democratic countries militarily weak as against conscriptionist, heav-ily-armed Russia. “This argument is heal’d in Australia, too. , “Every preparedness move by the Western nations implies a threat of aggression. RUSSIA ALONE? “Communist Russia alone, must be free to defend the peace by piling up armaments. “But no doubt the New Zealand people, while recognising the present dangers, looked beyond them as Australia must olso look. “Our future as a small, isolated white nation on the fringes of Asia is far from secure. “The merest instinct of self-preser-vation should counsel us—setting aside party controversy—to adopt compulsory military training.. "The Labour Government in New Zealand has been shown that there was never any need to' fear that public opinion would not accept the realities of the Dominion’s position and make the necessary sacrifices. "Labour in Australia should be emboldened by the lesson.” FULL SHARE It was a foregone conclusion that, the referendum in New Zealand would

RSL To U§*ge Referendum

MELBOURNE, Fri. (11.30 a.m.)—The Federal executive of the Returned Servicemen’s League, has decided to urge the Commonwealth to hold an immediate referendum on universal military training. ■' The executive sent a cable to General Kippenbcrger, president of the New Zealand RSA, congratulating the association on the success of, its eft'orts to secure compulsory military training in New Zealand.

Dockers. Suspended

BRISBANE, Fri. (1.30 p.m.).—All watersiders who attended a stop-work meeting yesterday, at which Communists’ attempts to continue the weekly 24-hour stoppages in protest against the imprisonment of J. Healy and Ft Roach were soundly defeated, have been suspended until Monday by the local representative of the Stevedoring Industry Board.