DEFENCE NEEDS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21558, 22 January 1940, Page 4

DEFENCE NEEDS

Australia And New Zealand Official Announcement By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON. January 19. The general outline of the business he had transacted during his visit to Australia, of less than three days, was given by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones), in an interview this evening. The Minister, who was accompanied by Mrs Jones, flew from Auckland to Sydney by the Ao-tea-roa on Tuesday and returned in the flyingboat to Wellington from Sydney today. It was the Minister’s first trip out of New Zealand. Defence matters were discussed by Mr Jones with the Federal Minister of Defence (the Hon. G. A. Street). "Although I was actually in Australia for only 2 days 17 hours, I was able to make personal contacts with the Commonwealth and State Ministers, officials, and business men, as well as to renew acquaintance with very many New Zealand callers,” said Mr Jones. “I also availed myself of the opportunity to see my brother for the first time in the last twenty-seven years. I met Mr Street, Federal Minister of Defence, who flew from Melbourne to Sydney especially to discuss defence matters in general. Benefit to Dominion “In our deliberations, we spent quite a considerable time in improving the arrangements already existing for the supply of equipment for the New Zealand troops. Because of the war, we are experiencing a delay in obtaining from Great Britain and Australia supplies that we need, and after going through in detail our present and future requirements. I was able to obtain from Mr Street a clear understanding of the position. He too, was most grateful to know what our probable demands would be, and I am pleased to be able to say that the very extensive preparations Australia is making to further the production of war essentials will remove from my mind any cause for future anxiety.

“I could not have obtained a better illustration of the solidarity and strength of purpose of the Empire than that exemplified by my talk with the Federal Minister of Defence. We exchanged ideas and proposals. The outcome of the decisions will, I am certain, be of benefit to both countries.” Among Federal and State legislators Mr Jones met were the Leader of the New South Wales Labour Party (Mr W. J. McKelly) and some of the Federal and State Labour members, who were keenly interested in the work of the New Zealand Government. Impressed With Flight “This journey is the longest I have undertaken,” said Mr Jones, and showed me quite definitely what an acquisition to New Zealand and Australia a regular service will be when it is brought into operation. I am satisfied that the service will become popular with Australians and New Zealanders alike. “A great future is ahead for one of the last links in the All Red Empire chain of air communications. Senator Mcßride and I discussed, during the trip over, many aspects of administration, common to both countries, particularly in the light of war conditions, with so little inconvenience that we may well have i; .agined we were sitting in an office.