PROTECTOR OF MANKIND

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17952, 2 December 1932, Page 5

PROTECTOR OF MANKIND

~ » w THE BRITISH NAVY OPPOSITION TO REDUCTIONS LONDON, Dec. 1. Sir B. Eyrcs-Monsell, replying to a private motion declaring that it was dangerous further to reduce tho navy •personnel and urging the Government to make no further unilateral naval reductions, said that until the end of 1936 Britain was bound in the type and number of vessels by the Washington and London treaties.

In view of the permitted programme of replacements, nobody need be alarmed that the navy was too weak for its functions. The Empire had been built under tho protection of the navy, and the continuance of the British commonwealth of nations was the biggest guarantee of the peace of the world. The British Navy was regarded as the helper and protector of mankind throughout the world. Within tillo past .18 months 18 requests had been received to send the British cruisers to distressed and perplexed •places. Britain had given a striking lead to the world in naval disarmament since the war. *' 'The Minister admitted that, there were grounds for apprehension that the naval personnel, which was not governed by the treaties, had been reduced too low.