DEFENCE PLANS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 27 February 1939, Page 10

DEFENCE PLANS

PUBLIC WORKS SHARE PART in new warfare A general statement upon the defence aspect cf ahe activities of the Public Works Department was made by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, in a special interview with the New Zealand “Herald” on Thursday. The expansion of the territorial forces, important although it was. was not everything, he said. The mechanisation of all arms of the forces of other countries had completely revolutionised all past conceptions of defence. “Much as we regret the need to expend money in military preparationmoney that would be better spent in industry and housing—we are compelled to recognise the dangers of a restless world,” Mr Semple said. “We want to carve out our destiny in peace, but no one knows when wc may be called upon to defend our freedom. MOVEMENT OF POPULATION “To that end we have speeded up the construction of aerodromes, hangars and ground services for what is now a first line of defence, and we are selecting more sites at strategic points as emergency landing grounds, which are essential safety facilities for both civil and military aviation. One of the reasons that took me to Spirits Bay was to see the area at Te Hapua, near North Cape, which would have great value in the air defence of this country. “As to roading. my programme does not overlook the fact that a proper loading system is essential to our defence. The new highway into Wellington through Ngahauranga Gorge will enable the city to be evacuated at the I rate of 60,000 an hour. If we had to depend on the present road in the emergency of a bombing attack, thousands would be slaughtered owing to the slow rate of evacuation. “Imagine the problem of mobilising men, moving even country populations and distributing food over some of the poor and dangerous roads wc have been over in the North. The roads wjuld be as dangerous as the trenches. MECHANICAL AIDS IN WAR “The huge machines which arc being used in constructing aerodromes and the major roads would themselves have great value if we had to fight an invader. They are readily mobile and I can see them being used to construct military earthworks and excavate trenches at strategic points, doing over- : night w’hat thousands of soldiers with I picks and shovels could not possibly accomplish. Our Public Works Department plant is extensive and various. It would have a hundred and one uses “We have made great progress with hangars, although delayed for a time through the lack of steel. The shortage of skilled tradesmen has been another | handicap. I am particularly ptcased, S therefore, to see that Mr J. Hodgens. 1 M.P. for Palmerston, is being successful in securing men in Australia and some of them will find their work at aerodromes.” Many references to defence have been made by Mr Semple during his northern tour. At Kaikohe to-day he explained that the selection of a site for an aerodrome must be governed by its capacity to meet the needs of heavy aircraft, and, although normally to serve civil aviation, its military value must be kept constantly in mind. Some aerodromes had had to be scrapped owing *o their inadequacy and that must never happen again.