NEW ZEALAND’S DEFENCES

Southland Times, Issue 24181, 18 July 1940, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND’S DEFENCES

PROPOSAL, MADE BY FARMERS’ UNION DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON PRIME MINISTER (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 17. The New Zealand Farmers’ Union conference decided that a deputation representative of the farming community of both islands should wait upon the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) at once to place before the Government in detail their views about local defence. The remit discussed was that the armed forces should be extended to include volunteers not able to conform with all the requirements of the Territorial forces or the National Military Reserve and that the union offer its services to the Defence Department for the purpose of organizing such forces. The remit was moved by Mr A. C. A. Sexton (Auckland), who said that written representations to both the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) and the Prime Minister had brought replies which carried the matter no further. In the course of the discussion it was emphasized that should such a force" as was proposed be organized it must essentially remain under military discipline and in no sense was it suggested that it should be under separate direction. The danger of any movement to establish “independent” armed forces was particularly emphasized by the president (Mr W. W. Mulholland). Mr Sexton said that there were in the Dominion many thousands of returned soldiers and other men who had had fairly long training in the old Territorial forces, but who, because of farming or other responsibilities, were unable to join the Territorial forces or the National Reserve. In New Zealand there were probably 200,000 men who could be sent overseas and probably another 200,000 who, though not fit to become members of an army of manoeuvre, were still quite fit to serve in the defence of localities. DEFENCE OF COAST LINE The general scheme was that each district organization, such as the branch of the Farmers’ Union, should appoint officers and non-commissioned officers of experience, and should consider the defence of the coast line in sections, which would be allocated to the officers who would decide upon the best means of defending them, the arms available and where the trenches and defensive works should be constructed. Mr Sexton read replies from Mr Fraser and Mr Jones to letters from the Auckland branch of the union outlining its proposal. The ministerial replies stated that adequate plans existed for meeting any possible hostile action. Mr Jones, in his reply said that the forces would be increased if at any time it was -onsidered necessary, but any such expansion must be carried out within the framework of the armed forces proper. Mr Fraser, in his reply, stated that expert military advice considered the raising, training and administration of a force such as that suggested by the Auckland branch to be impracticable. Mr Mulholland said that any impression that the efforts being made to raise a Farmers’ Union force had to be eliminated from the public mind. The deputation, if possible, will wait upon Mr Fraser tomorrow.