DEFENCE FORCES OF DOMINION

Southland Times, Issue 23335, 20 October 1937, Page 6

DEFENCE FORCES OF DOMINION

CONTROL OF LAND AND AIR SERVICES (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, October 19. Three Bills providing for the control of the air and land defence forces of the Dominion will be introduced in the House of Representatives this week by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones). The purpose of these measures will be to give effect to the policy of control outlined in the statement on the reorganization of the forces which was issued by the Minister about two months ago. The Minister stated in an interview tonight that the first of the Bills, the Army Board Bill, provided for the setting up of an Army Board. The Air Force Bill would give legislative status to the Air Board, which would control the Air Force and would also provide for the organization of the Air Force on the lines recommended to the Government some time ago by GroupCaptain the Hon. R. A. Cochrane. The third Bill, the Air Department Bill, would authorize the establishment of an air department which would be charged with the administration of the Air Force and would also cover civil aviation in New Zealand.

“The three boards already constituted —the Navy Board, the Army Board and the Air Board—will be co-ordinated in a national defence council,” Mr Jones added. “This will really be an advisory body comprising the chiefs of the three services and representatives of the Government and will make recommendations to Cabinet which, of course, is the final authority. I anticipate that the system when it is thus reorganized will operate in an entirely satisfactory manner.”