DEFENCE NEEDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23400, 17 July 1939, Page 11

DEFENCE NEEDS

EXPORTS CREDIT BILL DEBATE IN COMMONS LABOUR'S , LOYAL ATTITUDE British Wireless LONDON, July M The Overseas Trade Guarantee Bill, which increases the guarantee power of the Board of Trade to enable credits, totalling £60,000,000, to bo given to friendly foreign countries for armament and other purchases in the United Kingdom, was given its second reading in the House of Commons without division. The debate was notable for a declaration by the Labour spokesman, Mr. F. W. Pethick-Lawrence, who, speaking of the figures of expenditure and loans attributable in the last resort to defence needs and policy, said they were of fantastic dimensions, but they should not conceal from themselves the fact that they might not yet be at the end. What, asked Mr. Pethick-Lawrence, was the position of the Opposition in the face of such facts and prospects? Ho answered that they were like people living in a house and realising that those in charge were at last taking steps tp make it unlikely that a conflagration would break out. They still thought that if fire broko out it would be due to the Government's lack of understanding in days gone by, and if it spread it would be duo to the Government's failure to make earlier provision for extinguishing fires in earlier stages. However, if fire did threaten to occur they would no longer question who was to blame, but would get all hands to assist in extinguishing it. Because Labour loved its country and because it believed in democracy and liberty at homo and throughout the world, the Opposition said to the Government, "If you aro really going forward to make provision now to put out a fire should it break out wo are bound to give you our help."