AWAITING A "SHOW-DOWN"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23275, 18 February 1939, Page 12

AWAITING A "SHOW-DOWN"

Earnest assurances have been given by the Prime Minister that in its preparations for the defence of New Zealand the Government is not "asleep." Mr. Savage has issued a running commentary on the repoit presented to the recent Government caucus by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, and, although the summary is largely devoid of facts, the Prime Minister puts it forward as proof that there is no need to worry. Mr. Jones, he says, has been "subject to some criticism from people who do not know what they are talking about." It would be interesting to learn whether the Prime ' Minister includes among these critics the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Barnard, whose sense of public duty has compelled him to draw attention to weaknesses as he sees them, and experienced ex-officers who are alarmed at the lack of defensive preparation in the Dominion. The efforts of Mr. Jones indicate that he at least is not asleep, but the apathy of his Cabinet colleagues suggests that they are certainly comatose. If it came to a show-down," says the Prime Minister, "we would have to make some decent attempt to stand on our own feet." Why wait for the show-down 1 Instead of attempting to stand on our own feet, we are content at present to lean on Great Britain and Australia. If that support were to be withdrawn our weakness would be immediately apparent. Even two of the naval vessels based at Devonport are maintained by the British taxpayer, and in spite of months of agitation we have failed to establish a Territorial force of reasonable strength and efficiency. In view of these facts the complacency of the Prime Minister is impossible to understand.