DEFENCE POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22999, 30 September 1936, Page 8

DEFENCE POLICY

One outcome of the discussions now in progress in Wellington, between representatives of the New Zealand and Australian Governments and the British Air Ministry, should be a clearer appreciation, on the part of the Dominion Government of the form that should be given to defence policy. Our defence needs, insofar as they have engaged the Government’s attention at all, have been defined only in the vaguest terms. It is true that the Government is committed to increased expenditure on defence, and that it has expressed a desire to take whatever steps may be deemed necessary to bring the three services to a reasonable state of efficiency, but up till now it has lacked the guidance of expert advice in the matter It is, however, now afforded the opportunity of consultation with Mr F G. L. Bertram. Deputy Director ol Civil Aviation in the British Air Ministry, on the various problems confronting it. so far as these relate to expansion of the air arm More over, the presence in Wellington of Sir Archdale Farkhill, Commonwealth Minister of Defence and Air Services, who is visiting the Dominion primarily for the purpose of discussing the proposed trans-Tasman air service, will enable the Government to obtain valuable first-hand information

concerning the policy which Australia is pursuing in relation to defence. It is significant that almosi every public pronouncement made of late by official visitors to this country contains some reference to the fear of war that is to-day pervading the world, and stresses the need for adequate defensive preparations on the part of each responsible Empire unit. Sir Archdale Parkhill has emphasised that the idea of security inspires, to the exclusion of all else, the rearmament programmes upon which Great Britain and other Empire countries are now engaged He condemns, and rightly so, what he terms the “ creation of a' war psychology.” The feeling that war is inevitable, he says, is both inadvisable and ill-considered That is sane comment. None will deny that the atmosphere of Europe is at the moment charged with menace But it is equally true that there are powerful forces working for peace, and there is some reason to believe that substantial progress is being made in spite of the gloomy pessimism of those who profess to foresee the failure of sincere statesmanship to prevent a recurrence of war. In these troubled times statesmanship has to be long-sighted. It has to prepare to face crises which it hopes will not occur, and for that reason it is British policy to arm against possible emergency. New Zealand must be prepared to participate in a co-ordinated plan of Empire defence, and as a first step it must be seen to that our own defences are put in order. The Government may be expected to profit speedily by such advice as it receives during the currency of the present discussions If we are to take a leaf from Australia’s book —the Commonwealth is spending £8,000,000 on defence this year as against £3,200,000 in 1932 —our defence estimates will have to be substantially increased. The Government has given an indication that it will not be afraid to face the issue, and there will be no public criticism if a drastic overhaul of the defence system, expensive though it may be, is embarked upon without delay.