PLANS READY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21154, 29 September 1938, Page 8

PLANS READY

Defence of Dominion Announcement When Necessary By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, September 28. A denial that he had received today a message of sensational importance concerning the international situation was given by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, in an interview to-night. Mr Savage said that the information he had received from Europe was very much in accord with that published in the newspapers and he was not in a position to make any fresh announcement on the position. The Prime Minister refused to discuss what measures might be taken in New Zealand in the event of war. The Council of Defence had been considering the position all along, and its plans were ready. He was not prepared to discuss what might happen in certain eventualities, but would wait until those eventualities occurred before announcing any action that might be taken. Mr Savage declined to say whether or not the election would be proceeded with in the event of war breaking out, although he gave the impression that the preparations for the election had now gone so far that there would be no point in putting them off. Hopes of peace were not yet completely exhausted, he said, and there was no doubt that everyone would wish that war might yet be averted. READY TO SERVE OVERSEAS By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, September ”u. A steady stream of inquiries is being received at Defence Headquarters in Auckland from men who desire to serve in some capacity if the Em lire is involved in war. Moreover many men are inquiring by correspondence from all over the province. It is assumed by most of the inquirers that in the event of war there will be an expeditionary force in which they are prepared to serve. The inquiry is by no means confined to young men but extends to veterans of the Great War. As no call has been made for volunteers, nothing is being done by '.lie Defence Department beyond informing the inquirers of the position. The situation that has developed is similar to that which ruled in 1914, long before it was announced that there would be expeditionary force. There was then the same eager inquiry. The number of young men offering for the territorial force is described as normal. The threat of war appears to have made little difference so far In the campaign for recruits for this force.