BRITISH STRENGTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23290, 8 March 1939, Page 16

BRITISH STRENGTH

DOMINION'S SAFEGUARD MR. NASH ON DEFENCE NEW ZEALAND RESPONSIBILITY "SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE" [by TKLEGHAPH —OWN CORUKSI'ONDKNT] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Reference to tho defence policy of the Government was made by the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, when replying to the toast of Parliament at the dinner to Lord Nuffield in Wellington last night. Mr. Nash said because of world crises New Zealand's defence expenditure this year was four times what it was four years ago, and yet it was comparatively not enough if the country was to do all the things that ought to bo done. "1 am no jingo," Mr. Nash added. " I am sorry that circumstances are such that tho evidence of the last three years suggests that something hos to bo done. I am satisfied that tho present Government will do it."

The Minister went on to say that he thought Parliament was something that ought to be held in respect —something that tho people ought to fight to hold. It was good that inside the English-speaking world tbcro were forms of Government under which every man and woman could appeal to tho people to send thein to Parliament to make tho laws. It was good, also, to belong to the British Commonwealth of Nations, because with all the mistakes that had been made in the past, there was another side in which there were credits that stood supremo right throughout history as a record for the benefit not only of the English-speaking world, but also of the world at large.

If we did talk of defence in the Commonwealth it was good to remember that our defence lay in Loudon, not here; that if disaster came there wo were 'lost, Mr. Nash added. He did not say that idly. England was the safeguard for this little country.