DEFENCE SYSTEM

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17237, 17 April 1930, Page 10

DEFENCE SYSTEM

REPORT TO BE MADE

SEAPLANES ADVOCATED

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night

Before any definite decisions arc reached in regard to the remodelling of the defence system, the Government will consider the suggestions made by the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, Major-General Young. Senior officers at headquarters are at present engaged on the preparation of a .•scheme. w liich will be submitted to the .Minister ol' Defence, the Hon. ,1. G. Cobhe, who, in turn, will submit the recommendations to Cabinet. Tin 1 scheme will lie based on the opinions expressed ai a conference of senior stall' officers held in Wellington recently. Speaking at the Xew Zealand Clnh luncheon today, Wing -Commander Stuart (Irani Dallnn, Director of Aii- Defence, said that what Xew Zealand wanted I'm' defence purposes, was. firstly, seaplanes that could find mi! if any enemy cruisers were cruising around. Xew Zealand would probably be attacked by odd cruisers and the Air force had to keeji them at arm's length. They could be, and would be kept off, if Xew Zealand had flying boats which could go 200 to 2;10 miles out to sea and back, but for actually attacking cruisers, they would need noi merely scouting seaplanes, but big torpedo-carrying machines. He wa.s perfectly certain that in future a torpedo-carrying plane Mould be one of the most important weapons.