LAND DEFENCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 14 April 1939, Page 7

LAND DEFENCES

WIDER RECRUITMENT OBLIGATION TO TRAIN REPORT TO LABOUR CONFERENCE Recruitment of the land defend forces of the Dominion from the wides | possible field, with increased and ac celerated opportunities for every rank er to rise to the highest commissione* rank, was recommended to the annua conference of the New Zealand Labou Party yesterday by a minority of th. defence and immigration committee Messrs W. E. Barnard. W. J. Lyon, am ■T. A. Lee. M.P.s. says the “Post.’’ Thi minority report was added to the mail report of the committee, and the whoii was endorsed in its entirety. The recommendations of the commit tee on the various remits relating t< defence were as follows: That the question of co-operatior with the industrial Labour movemen 'in building up a democratic defend force be referred to the Governmen for its favourable consideration. That the conference reaffirm its op position to universal or compulsory military service. That the desirability of more active co-operation with democratic coyntriej be referred to the Government for it; favourable consideration. The committee recommends that th? question of the establishment of State *ir factories be referred to the Government for consideration. The committee recommended that nc action be taken regarding the following suggested phases of defence: —Education of officers and men in the principles of democracy and Socialism: investigation of the New Zealand Defence League's activities; the need for more active co-operation with democratic countries: opposition to the British Government’s pro-Fascist policy: the provision of relief for the people of Spair and China and other victims of Fascisi aggression; meeting of workers’ representatives *at 1.L.0. conferences. THE FIRST ESSENTIAL The full text of the minority report was as follows: “The Labour Government is to br congratulated upon all that has beer: done to improve the efficiency of ail and naval defence, and to improve our defence equipment generally. However under land defence. Messrs Barnard Lyon, and Lee submit the following:— “Having regard to the changed circumstances of the world in which wc live, we feel that the firs tessential to adequate defence is an affirmation ov the conference of the New Zealand Labour Party' and by the Prime Min ister that it is the duty of every fit man to offer himself for voluntary training lor the defence o; New Zealand. "The present small land force is justifiable only on the grounds that oui present system is producing a sufficiency of instructors and officers and non-commissioned officers necessary tc train every fit man in New Zealand should the need arise for the defence ol New Zealand. “Recruiting to-day is not satisfactory. It is confined too largely to men of a too youthful age. Defence is a task for men as well as boys. While these boys are valuable in themselves and will be useful material at a later date, there is a grave shortage of men of the 25 to 35 or 45 age groups, and a recruiting campaign is necessary to secure the addition of these men. “It is obvious that if war breaks out to-morrow too many of our ranker: will not be of the age level required for service, let alone of the age. physique. and experience level required as officers, n.c.o.’s. and instructors necessary to establish a New Zealand Army should the need arise. A sufficiently large number of recruits is nol offering. Some means must be adoptee to ensure the retention of recruits until the required standard of efficiency has been attained. "We do not subscribe to the viewpoint that New Zealand cannot defend herself. The New Zealand Division ir France proved itself one of the bes' in the field, and any raider or enemy staging a raid or a minor attack would meet with extraordinary resistance provided New Zealand were possessed o: equipment and munitions and of the highly-trained force we vision if tin present strength were of the mature age group and capably trained so as tc act as n.c.o.’s. officers, and instructors that the New Zealand Army, to be democratic. should be recruited from tin widest possible field with increased anc accelerated opportunities for every ranker to rise to the highest commissioned rank.’’