STRENTHENING DEFENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1934, Page 4

STRENTHENING DEFENCE

MINISTER AMPLIFIES PLANS AIRCRAFT AND ARTILLERY COSTS. TERRITORIAL UNIT COMPOSITION. INCREASES OF ESTABLISHMENTS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Proposals already announced for strengthening the defence forces of the Dominion were amplified by the Minister of Defence (Hon. J. G. Cobbe) tonight. Referring to recent statements that the defence vote this year would be increased by probably £500,000, Mr. Cobbe stated there was no foundation for this view. He explained that the vote of the Defence Department for the current financial year had not yet been finally determined upon, and until this was done it was not possible to say what the exnenditure was likely to be. An increase of £500,000 or anything approaching that sum was not expected. The Minister pointed out, however, that aircraft of the type being purchased and coastal and anti-aircraft artillery were expensive items, to say nothing of the cost necessitated by the increase in the personnel of the permanent forces, the provision of accommodation to house them and the purchase of buildings and machinery necessary for the maintenance of equipment. Although the Government had provided for the spreading of this expense over a period in order to lighten the burden upon the country’s finances, some considerable increase in the normal vote of the Defence Department over the next few years could not be avoided. In addition to providing further coast defence armament and aircraft it was the intention of the Government to make provision for further increasing the establishment of the territorial force. In the case of infantry battalions raised in centres other than the four capital cities it was proposed to provide for one machine-gun company, one mortar platoon and three rifle companies, each of three platoons, as against the former machine-gun and three rifle companies, each of two platoons. To each of the infantry battalions raised in the four capital cities a mortar platoon is being added. Similarly in the case of mounted rifle regiments the provision was being made for each regiment to comprise, a regimental headquarters and three squadrons, each of three troops, as against a regimental headquarters and three squadrons, each of two troops. “It is, however, necessary that a clear distinction should be made between the establishment of a unit and its strength,” said Mr. Cobbe. “The establishment of a battalion or a regiment is the minimum number required to enable it to train and function as a unit in peace. Its strength is the total number of officers and men,it has under training. Although the Government may increase the establishment of units, of military forces it is more than ever dependent upon the sense of patriotic duty of the country at large to ensure that the strength reaches the establishment.”