MODERN WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23866, 21 July 1939, Page 10

MODERN WAR

NEED FOR TRAINED MEN SUPPORT FOR APPEAL GRAVITY OF SITUATION EMPHASISED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, July 20. “ Nothing could be worse in the event of a war than to have men who are not trained to handle the equipment for defence,” said Mr J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara) during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives to-night. Mr Coates urged all members quite apart from party politics to throw their weight behind the recruiting appeal and emphasised the urgent need for speed. “In my opinion the objective of the Government in the number of men it is seeking is not sufficient,” he said. “A total of 16.000 men is not enough.” Urgency of the Call A difference of opinion seemed to exist among members of the House concerning whether or not there was at present a crisis, he continued. Surely the answer lay in the fact that nearly £700,000,000 was being spent in Great Britain, where practically every fit man and woman was being prepared to help the defence in the event of a war. The British Empire was calling on its citizens to-day as never before to be ready, and it fell upon members of the House to bring the Dominion’s defence forces to a point where they could consider ' that they had done their duty. "A duty rests upon every member of Parliament, because he has in his custody the welfare of every man, woman, and child in his electorate, Mr Coates said. “Out duty is to face the fact and inform the people that there is a danger and that it is up to them to give a hand.” Opinions varied as to the likelihood of an attack on New Zealand, he continued. All classes of people, however, were impressed with the speed at which the nations were arming, and the time had come when both the men and women of New Zealand should flock to the Colours. So far there had been no appeal to the women, but there was a place for them —an important place —if it became necessary to defend the country. Same End in View “Because we of the Opposition believe in universal training and the Government holds a different opinion, we cannot afford to argue, and we have to get on with it,” Mr Coates said. He claimed that he could speak for 100 per cent, of the Opposition members when he said that they were all doing their best to get men for the Colours under the voluntary system. “Let us try the voluntary system if we cannot have the other,” he said. “Let us make the best of it. We cannot afford to lose any time.” Mr Coates said that no one could say with certainty whether or not New Zealand would be subjected to an attack. It should not be forgottten that the country was in the South Pacific, and if a country believed that it could take another by force no one could say that the attempt v;ould not be made. He believed, however, that New Zealand would not be cut off in the event of a war, as the convoy system which was so brilliantly successful in the last war would be used again. The Prime Minister had said that if the United Kingdom was in trouble New Zealand was in with her, he added. Surely, therefore, there should be adequate preparation to enable New Zealand to do her share. Helpful Criticism Mr Coates emphasised that Opposition criticism on the subject of defence was not aimed at embarrassing the Minister of Defence. It was intended to be helpful and to focus public attention on the urgency of the position. He suggested, however, that the Government might take the country rather more into its confidence concerning the degree to which it was following the advice of the experts that had been consulted. Mr J. O’Brien (Govt., Westland): You mean spill secret information? Mr Coates: No, not that. This House has on its shoulders the responsibility of advising the citizens. We must not shirk it. Politically, it may be unpleasant in some quarters, but we cannot help that. Returned men can tell the country that it is impossible to have too much training. Mr Coates concluded by advocating an increase in the number of men sought by the Government and said that 30.000 would not be too many.