GREATER SECURITY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 19 October 1937, Page 2

GREATER SECURITY

EFFECT OF BRITAIN’S REARMAMENT IBv Tclpcraph-Prenp Association! AUCKLAND, 18th October. The greatly increased public confidence in England, following the rapid rearming programme now in progress was commented upon by Sir James Steel Maitland, Wellington, chairman and managing director of Isteg Steel Products (N.Z.) Limited, who returned by the Niagara after a business trip to England and Canada. “I fancy that British armaments as a whole are very much up to schedule,” Sir James said. “We are able to take a fairly firm hand in European politics compared with 18 months ago, when we could do nothing more than speak. A much firmer line is now being taken.

“When I left London the likelihood of a European war was not very great,” he continued. In England the three services, the Navy, Army and Air Force, were all being strengthened. Factories were hard at work building for the Navy and Air Force and an effort was being made to make service in the Army much more attractive than it had been in the past. The newly-ap-pointed Secretary of State for War, Mr L. Hore-Belisha, had been instrumental in this important step. “Things were in an appalling state 18 months ago,” Sir James added. “There is greater security now because the country has armaments to secure herself.”

Discussing the steel shortage. Sir James said the position in New Zealand was worse than that in England, where buyers had to wait about three months for delivery. Steel manufacturers were doing their best but were handicapped by lack of billets and some of them were able to work only four days a week owing to the shortage of materials.