DEFENCE POLICY WANTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26559, 6 September 1947, Page 6

DEFENCE POLICY WANTED

“ I am certain that no one in New Zealand requires my reminder of what, sea power means to them,” said Rear-Admiral Creasy, speaking at Auckland the other day. On the contrary, the overlong delay of the Government in announcing a defence policy is an indication that the leaders of New Zealand at least are to some extent lacking in appreciation of the importance of sea power, air power, land power and every other kind of power connected with the future defence of this country. The necessity of close liaison between the countries of the British Commonwealth has been emphasised not only by the grim experience of two wars but by the uncertain nature of the peace. The possibility of future conflict cannot, unfortunately, be dispelled. Yet, while the defence plans of other parts of the Commonwealth are by no means finalised, planning in New Zealand is to all intents and purposes non-existent.' In recent years a large measure of the initiative in proposing measures for the closer integration of Commonwealth defence has come from Australia, and the Commonwealth is continuing to press for closer consultation between the Governments of the Empire. New Zealand has claimed, with Australia, a great interest in the area to the north of Australia, but so far the people of this Dominion have still to learn how its share of the responsibility is to be discharged. Similarly there has been no indication as to what forces, if any, are to be trained in peace-time. The Air Force Association has advocated the giving of a high measure of priority to the establishment of an efficients permanent Air Force, but Government vacillation has resulted in many outstanding airmen returning to Great Britain to rejoin the Royal Air Force, although some at least would have been happy to stay in the Dominion if the Government had showed its hand in reasonable time. The Returned Services’ Association has urged that military training should be compulstory, but here again there has been no hint as to the Government’s future plans. While it may reasonably be argued that co-ordination of policy between the countries of the Empire is essential and that, therefore, no announcement can yet be made as “to what part New Zealand might be expected to play in Empire defence, the same reasoning cannot be applied to the organisation of home defence forces. . Government delay is breeding public apathy. Memories for unpleasant happenings are short and those responsible for the formulating of plans for the training of the Dominion’s future forces will find that the popularity of their findings will vary inversely to the length of time it takes them to make those findings public. The Government has verbally endorsed the need for a defence policy. It is high time that it came forward with tangible evidence of what it pi’oposes to do.