THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 13 April 1939, Page 9

THE DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND

IT.. The Editor I Sir. I am amazed at the apathy that is shown on the question of the defence of New Zealand. Do our people read the foreign cablegrams? Are they too bone-headed to understand the message that these bear for the people of New Zealand? What is wrong with us that we allow ourselves to be lulled into an idiotic feeling of security by Ministers who insult our intelligence by the nonsense that they talk on the subject of defence? Whither, oh whither, has departed the "Spirit of Anzac°" The whole of the ro.-t of the world i arming as it has never armed before. And what arc we doing? Nothing, or next to nothing. And what docs this next” amount to? The Minister for Defence has “plans” but nothing wherewith to work his "plans.” The Minister for Public Works has 24.000 men on Public Works and a misstatement wherewith to boost them. He says that they are trained in the use of modern equipment. Is that correct? They are trained in the use of pick and shovel, the tools with which “Adam delved” while "Eve span.” Modern in Adam’s time no doubt. A select few. very, very few of the 24.000 may be trained in the use of bull-dozers and suchlike but to suggest that they are all trained in the use of modern equipment is—well, it is not correct. 1 ask what is there to prevent New Zealand being invaded to-day or tomorrow by Japan. Italy. Portugal or any other power great or small that has an army and a navy? It is not the man power of New Zealand or anything else of New Zealand. It is the British Navy. And the British Navy has been doing this year after year with very little return from this side and latterly with no symptom of gratitude. Now’ that the people of Great Britain are spending their uttermost farthings on building up their navy and their army and their air force to protect themselves, and incidentally us. from the present threat by the Totalitarian powers, are we not in honour bound to do something to help’.’ Can we not at least give them the assurance that we have so strengthened our own defences that we are raid-proof o This would give the British Navy freedom from having to worry about our safety. Surely we are in honour bound to do that and it should not have been necessary to assemble a conference to tell us Not that I am in any way against a conference. I think that it is an excellent idea: but I should like to see : t used as a guide to direct an overwhelming urge to do something in the common cause, not as a halt signal to give us a breathing space before we do anything at all One of your correspondents took comfort from the fact, or supposition, that the British War Office had expressed the opinion that New Zealand had only raids to fear, not -'vasion If it had been out the other wav and we had only invasion to fear, not raids, we might have derived some degree of comfort from the supposition For no invasion can take nlace at the outbreak of war: invasion will have to wait until the war has sufficiently advanced to 2* ve some indication of what the even- , tual outcome will be. and bv that timej even our present Government may have ; been prodded out of its torpor Rut n j raid may take place at anv moment.! even without •> declaration of war. And what do we picture when we j think of a raid? A few ships and few i aeroplanes dropping a few shells and •> few» bombs on our principal cities' Janan is not going to waste its time and I energy over a raid like that A raid ! that comes all the way from Japan wit' j not be inspired merely by hate It will ! doubtless giv*» .n ample outlet to hate] and contempt for t’ e "barbarians." as ' the Japanese consider us. bu l it will be | inspired bv a definite strategic purpose namelv the embarrassment < * the British Navv No embarrassment, to the navy will be brought about by a few 1 fires and a lew casualties in Auckland and Wellington and Nelson. The raid will bring with it sufficient troops to

i quell all local opposition and landing | parties will ensure that Auckland is i well and truly burning before the j raiders pass on to Wellington and. if a | few tales of frightfulness, savagery to j women and children • and things like ! that, can be added to the mere descrip- ! lions of the burnings, the purpose of the j raiders will be all the more surely j achieved. | And what will be the reaction of the people of Great Britain to the news of the raid? Will they not demand a detachment from the British Navy being sent to the protection of New Zealand ’ And that detachment may well tip the balance of naval power in Europe against Great Britain and bring the Empire in ruins against us, all because v c have been too mean spirited to look to our own defence and have preferred to shelter ourselves "behind Great BritAnd now. Mr Editor, to return to my opening questions. If the people of New Zealand read the foreign cablegrams and if we are not too boneheaded to apply the news to our own country, why are we not fiercely de- ! inanding action by our Government? * Why are there no public meetings sendj ing messages to our Ministers? Is Nel- ! son waiting for a lead from Welling- . ton and Wellington from Auckland? Are we hypnotised by the thought that : v\e have a Defence League looking after i our defence? Perish the hope! The Dej fence League is obsessed of the idea i that it must do nothing to embarrass ! the Government, and it is only by em- ! barrassing the Government that we shall get anything done. We don’t want to see Auckland and Wellington destroyed. even if Nelson escapes, and there are no forces in New Zealand to prevent that happening to-day. Why should not Nelson give a lead to the citizens of New Zealand by calling a public meeting to insist upon the Government getting busy with the defence of the country? Don’t let us worry ! about the Defence Leaguj They are j doing useful work, but they are doing iit slowly and methodically. Let us give ] vent to something more spontaneous 1 and let us show the Government that there is a clamant demand for immedi- ! ate action. j Will His Worship the Mayor call a i meeting of citizens and go down to hisj tory as the Mayor who save New Zeai land? 1 am. etc . MIRZA Nelson, 9th Anril