Mr Jones On Defence

Southland Times, Issue 23024, 19 October 1936, Page 6

Mr Jones On Defence

On Thursday three British Cabinet Ministers and one New Zealand Cabinet Minister delivered speeches on the subject of defence. Mr Anthony Eden, Major Duff Cooper and Sir Thomas Inskip all spoke of the need for strengthening Britain’s defences to preserve peace and protect her freedom. Unless they were prepared to defend them the blessings the British people enjoyed could not be maintained, said Britain’s Minister for War. Tens of thousands of officers and men were needed for anti-aircraft defence units, said Sir Thomas Inskip. “The strengthening of our own defences becomes not only a desirable objective but an imperative national duty” were the words used by Mr Eden. But the Minister of Defence for New Zealand, Mr Jones, told a deputation from the New Zealand Defence League that there was no need for any scare about the defences of the Dominion. The Government was doing its job. Perhaps Mr Jones thinks that it is psychologically sound to make reassuring statements so that the courage and complacency of the people will be maintained. Perhaps he is convinced that the Government is tackling the problem adequately. But there must be a great many people in the Dominion who contrast with alarm his sanguine outlook with the urgent plea of British Ministers for stronger defence measures. No longer can New Zealand shelter behind the skirts of the Motherland. Mr Jones and other Labour Ministers have

shown that they realize the need for a more self-reliant policy. “I hope you don’t think that because we are the Labour Party we are not concerned with the defence of New Zealand; we certainly are, because we realize the international position,” Mr Jones told the deputation on Thursday. What the public is anxious to see is less talk about the Government’s perspicacity and more practical evidence of its desire to strengthen New Zealand’s defences as speedily as possible. Mr Jones may speak comforting words about a “certain country which may have designs on New Zealand” and may reiterate soothing statements about there being no need for “scares.” There would be much greater cause for confidence in the ability of New Zealand to protect herself if the Government emulated the British Government and got down to work.