NATIONAL SECURITY
“ AS GOOD A DIVIDEND AS SOCIAL SECURITY.” Address By Member Of Naval Board “We have in this country social security far in advance of anything else in the world, but I wonder whether we take national security in quite a serious way,” said Captain J G. Hewitt, R.N., D. 5.0., Second Member of the Naval Board, when addressing the Wellington branch of the Overseas League at their first social evening- since the war. Captain Hewitt said that New Zea land had at least learnt in two wars that it had to fight to live- If that was so, then surely a little more expenditure on national security might pay just as good a dividend as social security did.
The Statute of Westminster was not entirely popular in New Zealand Under it every Dominion was equal with the Mother Country, so if New Zealand went to war with someone else it did not necessarily follow that England would go to war, or the other Dominions *to come in, too.
New Zealand to be secure would require a navy like the Royal Navy, and that was obviously fantastic, said the speaker, for the country could not support it. What was required was an Empire defence council on which all the Dominions were represented. One of the most disturbing things to-day, Captain Hewitt continued, was the present state of mind of the people, both in England and New Zealand. It had been very apparent in England in the last 10 years or so. Manners had deteriorated, and so had discipline. In New Zealand, the speaker said, he had noticed the same thing. The fact remained that one had to have effective defence, the men behind you, and the people. Discipline was extremely easy in war, but a bother in peace.
“ I think the New Zealander is rather inclined to say ‘ I'm the salt of the earth-’ So is the Englishman on the other side of the world. Both are extremely insular,” said Captain Hewitt. A New Zealander was a healthy individual and an independent one. There should be a little less selfishness, a little more service.
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Bibliographic details
Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1237, 3 July 1947, Page 2
Word Count
355NATIONAL SECURITY Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1237, 3 July 1947, Page 2
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