PROBLEMS OF DEFENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20702, 27 April 1929, Page 2

PROBLEMS OF DEFENCE.

IMPORTANCE OF ORGANISATION. ADDRESS BY MR H. E. BARROWCLOOGH. “ Some Problems of Imperial Defence ’ was the Subject of nn address given to members of the University Club at luncheon yesterday by Mr H. E. Barrowdough. In introducing his subject the speaker said that the matter of defence was a burning question in many quarters, hut that did not concern him just then. He felt that the people of New Zealand as a whole had enough common sense to realise the necessity of adequate defence resources. What he intended to do was to deal with one or two points concerning the expenditure of the defence grant to give the taxpayer some idea of the things he ought to pay for. The first consideration in reference to defence expenditure was whether the country was getting full value for the money spent. It was not wise to grudge a few thousand pounds of public money if .by its expenditure the country could be provided with adequate defence forces, and it should be remembered that there was a limit below whim, they could not go without rendering the system use less. The chief question to be decided was Just what that limit was.

It was all very well to devote a certain sum to the establishment of a force, but whatever army was thus provided for it must necessarily be useless unless provision were also made for the training of men able to make the best use of that force. The administrative side of the question was the most important of all. During the Great War the British Empire had something like 5,000,000 men in arms, but he did not think-that at any one time there were even more than about 1,500,000 in action. They appeared to lack the organisation required to get their full resources into the front line. It was surprising how remarkably well the territorials responded to two or three years of the spasmodic training that was now provided by weekly drills and annual camps, but he ventured to state that if they it tempted to put a brigade group in the field to-day they would fall dismally because of a lack of experience in handling a force of that size and composition. A country could never expect to get full value for the money expended on defence unless the staff was given every opportunity to become proficient In the handling and organisation of the troops and the resources at their disposal. This was an aspect of Imperial defence that required the closest watching. Invariably this experience was not provided until there was a war. He felt sure they would ali readily realise the uselessness of an efficient fighting force if it could not be landed where it was wanted at the right time. If it was felt that the cost of the army was too great, the difficulty could always be got (?ver by a reduction in less important features of the system* and a concentration on the problem of organisation and leadership. It was possible that some such readjustment might be made in New Zealand, Mr Barrowclough also touched upon the importance that was attached to the mechanised branches of the service. He was of the opinion that the army should not spend money on aeroplanes, particularly if such expenditure were likely to affect the sums available for use in the development of the army proper. The development of aviation should be the responsibility of civil enterprise. If a man learned to fly, it would, not be hard to make a fighter of him. He would not like to think that the Defence Department in this country was going to spend the taxpayers’ money on’ mechanical devices and armoured forces at the expense of the army. Experiments with the purely mechanical forces in England had demonstrated that they could not be relied upon to win a war, and it had been decided that no more money should be spent, for the time being at least, ‘on this type of defence or offence. New Zealand certainly, could not do it with its slender resources in that direction. In his opinion the Dominion's programme should be decided according to what the Committee of Imperial Defence at Home wanted this country to provide, in the way of forces in the event of another war. Some in dication could be given as to what class of fighting unit would be moat needed, and New Zealand could concentrate upon its development, leaving mechanical warfare to be dealt with in England where all the resources were always at hand. In conclusion, the speaker said that there was one point he wished to stress. No matter what frightfulness science might devise for the waging of future wars, the deciding factor in any trial if strength between nations must always bo the personal courage and endurance of the , individuals. The use of terrible death-dealing machines gave no side any very great advantage, because it was so easy for one country to copy with another in a very short time. He felt that .not enough consideration was given to the importance of the human element in war. He, personally, was of the firm opinion that so long as the Britisher continued to be the best, bravest, and most deter mined soldier in the world Imperial defence must always be sound, * and the British Empire must always-come out on top. The first essential, therefore, was to inculcate in the individual a confidence in himself and in his weapon, and that should be the first consideration in any scheme of national or Imperial defence. Mr C. E. Hercus moved a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker.

he looked upon the stone work in the new building as amongst the best he had ever seen in Dunedin. That, he thought, was a great compliment to Mr Love and Mr Ball. He felt that they were indebted to Mr Ball for his able work. Cr Clark said he was highly delighted j to take part iii the function. He was ' gratified to be ..able to say that there j had never been any question of holding : any payments back on account of bad or incomplete work. He was satisfied that when the hall was completed they would not hear any criticism about it. The j people would realise what a magnificent | asset it was to the city, not only as a building but as a home centre for the people here. There might he one criticism, and that would.be that the hall was not erected 60 years ago; Cr Wilson said he was specially interested in the proceedings because it was during his term as Mayor that the couucil authorised the drawing up of the plans for the new building. He had desired that the building should be commenced in 1914, but there had been a delay, which had, however, probably resulted in the erection of a more modern building. He contended that all the criticism against the new Town Hall was wrong because it was the duty of the municipal authorities to provide a hall where the people mid meet for public purposes, and at present they did not have such a place, A new Town Hall was overdue, and he was glad that they ha.! got to the stage when the opening was within sight. Mr Ball, who spoke briefly, said he had never been engaged on more pleasant work, for the relations between himself and all those with whom he had been associated had been of the most cordial nature. Later on he hoped to say something more about the work and the workmen of Dunedin.