NATIONAL DEFENCE LEAGUE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 June 1930, Page 9

NATIONAL DEFENCE LEAGUE

ITS REVIVAL ACCOMPLISHED. By Telegraph.—Press Association.'Wellington, June 5. Steps have been taken during the past fortnight to revive the National Defence League of New Zealand, and this has been accomplished, with Sir Andrew Russell as president. A campaign will shortly be opened for the establishment of the organisation throughout New Zealand, and engaging in educational work. It is stated that the movement is receiving widespread support, particularly in view of rumours regarding defence scheme changes and the Government’s announcement that it hopes to save £500,000 this year by cutting down the normal vote of £1,000,000 for the naval, air service and military forces. Mr. H. T. Marshall has been appointed organiser for the league in Wellington. 'The constitution of the league provides that the league shall be nonparty politically except insofar as it will oppose any political party which aims at such weakening of the national defence forces of New Zealand as would dispense with the compulsory training system or in any way impair the efficiency of the defence forces. The league shall consist of a general council and as many district councils and branches as it may be deemed advisable to establish in the interests of the league and under the conditions set forth in the constitution. No pro-fessionally-paid soldier in the employ of the Defence Department or other professionally-paid member of the naval, military or air forces can be under any circumstances whatever an officer of the league or of any of its branches, and the same rule shall apply regardino- a shareholder in any ammunition manufacturing company and its officials. The league shall not under any circumstances whatever interfere directly or indirectly with any industrial disputes. The objects set out are to maintain a white New Zealand, to secure the immunity of the country from invasion, and to educate the citizens upon such measures of defence as may be considered necessary. The league accordingly advocates universal defensive training, the embodiment of the lessons of the late war in the training systems, adequate equipment of the defence forces, immediate consideration of piovidino- machinery in thin country for the manufacture of shells and small arms ammunition, such planto to be State-owned, the provision of at least two safe harbours for the protection of shipping, and fuller training of territorial officers and n.c.o.’s. The league will endeavour to obtain provisions that no one, except in case of a public interest, can become a commissioned officer of the defence forces unless he has served three years in the ranks. It will also aim at the removal ot the control of recruitment of the defence forces from the defence authorities and placing it in the hands of a civil department of State, moral tiainin<r of youths and education in ideals of°good citizenship, suppression of bad language in camps, the taking of every precaution to preserve the health of boys while undergoing training, also educating them oh the observance of health principles, the,-employment - of selected women to assist in cooking and ambulance work and in the institutes in camp, the strengthening and encouragement >of ' rifle clubs, the principle of equality of economic sacrifice in war time, and any legitimate means for ■strengthening the national defence.