THE DEFENCE VOTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22366, 13 September 1934, Page 5

THE DEFENCE VOTE

REASONS FOR INCREASE OPPOSITION BY LABOUR MINISTER’S FIRM STAND (From Oue Paruamentaev Reportee) WELLINGTON, September 12. The reasons for the Government's proposal to increase its defence vote were vigorously put forward in the House of Representatives to-day by the Minister of Defence (Mr J. G. Cobbe), who claimed that it was difficult to understand the mentality of those who failed to realise the dangers surrounding a country whose inhabitants were too careless or too effeminate to protect it, Mr Cobbe said that the Government regarded it as its duty to strengthen the defences of the Dominion; “ Come what may,” he concluded, “be it discordant abuse, deliberate misrepresentation, sentimental appeal, political opposition or misleading sophistry, we are going to do our duty.” For the past three years, said the Minister, the policy of the Defence Department had been to curtail expenditure wherever reasonably possible, but the great change to-day in world conditions and in modern , methods of attack and defence had made it imperatively necessary that New Zealand, one of the most isolated outposts of the Empire, should , take such steps as the existing conditions made necessary for the security of her people, her trade and her territory. It was not forgotten that the policy of the Empire was purely defensive and not in any way aggressive, but at the same time the Dominion could not overlook the fact that it stood or fell with the Empire iu command of its destinies.

“If the Motherland should ever be forced into a life and death struggle/.’ said Mr Cobbe, “ the Fast she can expect from New Zealand and- Australia is that each shall as far as is humanly possible become responsible for its own home defence. Wc cannot ignore the fact that Europe is a seething cauldron to-day, and there should be no conflict in the view as to what is our duty in order to meet any rising emergency. The weakness and the defenceless condition of the nation invites attack, and under the existing world conditions no nation ! can justify the neglect of or avoid the taking of reasonable precautions for the protection of the lives, freedom and property of its people.” Every member of the Government was anxious for the exercise of economy where possible, continued the Minister, but the Government as a whole was fully convinced that it would not be doing its duty if it failed to place in the hands of the people the means of defending their homes against any posBible enemy. “We are not aggressors, he added, “We wish to avoid trouble, not to seek it, but when our country is at stake we do claim the right to take steps to protect ourselves, and in taking anv steps necessary we believe we have the support 6f every .patriotic man and, woman in New Zealand.” Mr W. E. Barnard (Napier) : You will not have the support of the Labour Party. , ~ Mr Cobbe: I said I believed we would have the support of every patriotic man and woihari in. New Zealand. ' Mr. Cobbe said that New- Zealand had something to defend, and something that was worth defending. The country was part of the greatest Empire the world had known, and its people had inherited traditions prouder than those of any other. “We live in A free land, he said, “and is it not our duty to hand on . that freedom to our children? ■ls any sacrifice too great, to maintain that freedom? Surely we are not. so. purblind as to fail to read the. signs Of the limes and understand how imperative is the need for the steps ,we are taking? Every young man of average. health and strength should he drilled,’.’ Mr Cobbe quoted a writer m support of. this. • . . 1 Mr Barnard,: Up with the Union .Jack. - Mr Cobbe; Are we to become too effete and nerve-ridden to take even the most ordinary precautions, for defence? Arc we to become; like the Bengali of whom Macaulay writes. “He would see his country over-run, his house laid m ashes, his children murdered or dishonoured without having the spirit to strike one blow ”?—{Labour laughj ! Mr Cobbe: The lowest and last phase in the life of man comes when he is unable or unwilling to defend his home and the honour of his womankind against the attack of an enemy. Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central) : Hear! Hear! The enemy within—unemployment. . Mr Cobbe concluded by saying that, although the Dominion was taking precautionary measures for defence, the Government hoped and prayed that. our land should never sec the sail of an invader or hear the roar of his aeroplanes. , ■ .