DEFENCE POLICY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 5 July 1939, Page 8

DEFENCE POLICY

GOVERNMENT DEFENDED If Herr Hitler followed the plan he had laid down lor the expansion of German influence there could be no alternative but war, said Mr Macfarlane. and Government and Opposition members should work together to make New Zealand defensible. There was no difference of opinion among political parties in Britain on questions of defence and there should not be any in the Dominion.

It was regrettable as far as the world wa* concerned that the international situation was so uncertain, he said. It had gone from bad to worse until there was a danger that war might break out at any time. Since the House last met Czechoslovakia and Albania had lost their separate identity, and anyone who had read Herr Hitler’s book knew that every step taken by Germany had been taken according to plan, and they also knew that if Hitler was going ori .with his plan there would be no alternative but war. The demqcracies had reached the stage where retreat was impossible, and they had declared that they would not tolerate any further advances by the axis powers. Personally he believed in the integrity of the British Empire and that the future of the world depended rn the attitude adopted by the democratic countries. Britain and France had declared their intention and were making every effort to bring Russia in with them against the demands of the totalitarian states and he hoped they would succeed. WAR NOT WANTED The peoples of the world had no quarrels with one another and did not want war The League of Nations had failed but ho believed that in the future the nations would be able to create an organisation that would do away with warfare. When that happened the countries of the world would spend their money on useful things instead of armaments but until agreement could be reached defence preparations were necessary.

There were many critics of the Labour Government on defence but defence had been sadly neglected until the Labour Government came into office. The Government had been left to build up the forces of the Dominion and had already done a great deal. The air force had been expanded and aerodromes were being built throughout the country. The Territorial Arqiy had been reorganised and was being built up.

Mr Macfarlane said that he hoped to see the day come when war would be outlawed but there was no sign of that at present, and the people of New Zealand must see that their country was made defensible. The Government was doing its best and he hoped that the present session would show that the Government and the Opposition were unanimous about recruiting and defence preparations in general The British Empire and the other democracies must make a stand. The Government of Britain had already declared for no more aggression and all political parties in Britain were of one mind. They were firm in the resolve that there could be no further retreat v o far as Great Britain was concerned.