DEFENCE SCHEME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23334, 28 October 1937, Page 6

DEFENCE SCHEME

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT VALUE OF LAND FORCES IMPROVED CONDITIONS NECESSARY fFnoM Our Parliamentary Reporter' WELLINGTON, Oct. 27. Suggestions for the improvement of both the defences and the defence forces of New Zealand were made by Mr J. A. Roy (Opposition, Clutha) during the second reading debate on the Army Board Bill in the House of Representatives to-day. " I admit that New Zealand would be a very difficult country to defend," Mr Roy said, " but we as part of the British. Empire would be failing in our duty if we did not prepare for its defence, and I at least am firmly convinced that the land forces must play a decided part in any defence scheme. I think the Bi?l means a good move in a certain direction, but I would like to. see closer co-operation between the staff and the territorials. During the last war, while we had very good staff, officers, it was the, territorials who played the biggest part in the army; and some of the territorial officers rose to- very high positions." Mr Roy said he- did not know whether the voluntary training scheme could be called either successful or unsuccessful, but he thought it would derive benefit from being made more attractive. In his opinion the Minister of Defence (Mr F. Jones) should explore every avenue to make joining up with the defence forces as attractive as possible to the right type of young man. So much depended on the efficiency of a unit in the army that no effort should be spared to attract tiie kind of man most likely to prove a born leader. That had been borne out by the, experience gained in the last war. "I think we still have that type of. man in New Zealand," Mr Roy added, "because in my opinion w.e are not a decadent nation to that extent. Once contact has been made with-a man, an endeavour should be made to, keep him by making the conditions more attractive. The present rates of pay do not by, any means compensate young men for undertaking military training, and the uniforms could also be made much more attractive." Mr Roy expressed the hope that no branch of the! defence forces would become top-heavy at the expense of others. -There was perhaps a tendency on the part of specialists to regard their own services as the most important, of all, but it was necessary to remember that all had. their parts to play, and he would say emphatically that the stage had by no means been reached when the army could be done without.