DEFENCE POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17375, 23 January 1920, Page 6

DEFENCE POLICY.

Protection FOR future.

LAND, SEA, AND AIR. [Bt TEKGBATK. — COIUIESI'ONDENT.] Ellington, Thursday. • Ono of the most important mattey yet to be undertaken' by the Government is the definition of a new defence policy, for it is commonly agreed that there must be a new policy. . . There are several questions involved in the formulation of the defence policy of tho future. 1 First of all there . is Lord Jellicoo's report, and the action to bo taken UDon it. This report has not- been fully considered by the. Cabinet. There is also th e report 5 on" air defences which should have been left with tho Colonel V. ■ Bettiugtori. who - was in New Zealand for some months for .the purpose of 1 advising the 1 Government about aeroplane defences. Then thoro is the question of the establishment and training of tho territorial army and the cadets. All these three branches of the service win have to be co-ordinated in some degree, and the definition of a policy to include 1 naval, aerial, and land defence is a task of magnitude. > ~ • ■ I Sir James Allen, as Minister for De- i fence, will have to take tjio first movp in the matter;' and ho has yet to consult with his chief officers before he submits any recommendations to tho Cabinet. It may be that nothing 'will ba disclosed by the Government us to their intentions until the necessary legislation, for it is presumed that legislation will be necessary, is submitted to Parliament. >,