TROUBLED WORLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23181, 29 October 1938, Page 16

TROUBLED WORLD

NATIONS PREPARING SIR JAMEB PARR'B VIEWS WAR SCARE IN ENGLAND "I think the international situation could not be worse," said Sir James Parr, former High Commissioner for New Zealand, who returned by the liner Orcades yesterday after two years abroad Sir James' plans are indefinite, but ho is remaining in Auckland for a period. "1 still consider that the time for world peace has not yet arrived," Sir James continued. "1 admired the gigantic efforts made by Mr. Chamberlain, England's strongest statesman, for peace, but 1 think his appeals have I largely fallen on deaf ears. "It is a world to-day of armaments and preparation. 1 think we do not appreciate in the Pacific Ocean the dangers under which wo labour. Should Great Britain be engaged, as she well might be at any time, in a great European war, in my opinion the forces of New Zealand and Australia would be quite inadequate to defend those countries. Britain would not be able to spare battleships for Singapore, and it is there really that our protection liesThe British Navy is still our shield. "I am very doubtful of America coming to our aid. The British Empire must .rely on itself." Although he disclaimed any technical knowledge, Sir James referred to the intense activity on the part of various nations to build up their air strength. "The world is working feverishly at aeroplanes," he said. "The history of Britain has been a sad one with regard to aeroplanes. A year or two ago we were assured by Britain's statesmen that we had a force in the air equal to any in the world, and we know now that it was not true. Britain has now to revise the position and procure aircraft wherever she can got them. "There is no doubt that the late war scare gave the British people the fright of their lives," he added. Sir James spent a great part of his two years abroad travelling in Europe, and motoring in England and Scotland.