DEFENCE FORCES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 121, 25 May 1938, Page 8

DEFENCE FORCES

STATEMENT BY MINISTER COMMENT ON MANIFESTO WELLINGTON, May 24. In commenting on the manifesto issued by four senior officers of the New Zealand Territorial Force, the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones) to-day said that there were certain facts relating to their action which should be made public From the changes which were being made, said Mr. Jones, it was evident to practically all territorial officers that a scheme of reorganisation of the land forces had been adopted by the Government. “Realising that the fullest co-operation of all members was essential for its success, I instructed the Chief of the General Staff to take every opportunity of explaining the scheme to his officers, and of inviting them to put forward suggestions that would tend to further improve the numerical strength and efficiency of the Territorials. As a result. certain alterations were made tending to greater efficiency, and other proposals for improvements are under consideration. “On April 23 the commanding officers of the’units located in Wellington, at my invitation, met me in my office to have a friendly chat on the question of the land forces, and they responded tp my request to express their views frankly and candidly. The discussion which ensued was valuable, and I expressed appreciation of their willingness to render every possible assistance to place the Territorials on a better footing,” said the Minister. “Knowing that a number of senior officers from various parts of the Dominion were attending an Army school at Trentham early in May, I asked the Chief of the General Staff to extend to them an invitation to meet me in my office. At the outset of the meeting, which was quite unofficial. I told them that my sole reason for inviting them along was for the purpose of hearing any helpful criticism they had to offer, or any suggestions. I expressed the view that, with their long experience and knowledge, they would, no doubt, have some good ideas which, if adopted would improve the efficiency of the forces, and I asked them to be quite candid. Arranged by Minister “The point which I here wish to make is that the meeting was arranged, not at the request of the officers, but at my invitation. I urged that, for the building up of the land forces, we should no as much as had been, and was being done for the Air Force, and one aspect of the matter that was impressed upon me was that if a statement were made showing that the territorials were essential to the defence of New Zealand, and that the Government was behind the land forces, such an action would do an enormous amount of good.

“In addition to giving the officers an outline of what had been done, 1 also gave them particulars nf other proposals which were being considered by the Government. I tola them, too, that I would be making a public statement in regard to defencematters generally, but that I was nor able, just at that time, to say definitely when, or where it would be made. In thanking them at the conclusion of the informal meeting, 1 told them I was anxious to secure, and desired, their fullest co-opera-tion as well as that of everyone connected with the forces. “On the morning immediately fol-

lowing this meeting one of these officers. speaking cn behalf of the senior officers attending the course, asked the Chief of the General Staff to inform me that, unless my statement

was made within a fortnight, they would consider this as undue delay. I understand he replied that he could not convey such a message to me, as they had no right to dictate to the Minister as to when he should make a statement, but that he would inform me that tljey were anxious to know when the statement would be released. “As I had some months previously accepted invitations to deliver addresses at Whangarei and Dargaville, I took the opportunity at the latter place ot speaking on the subject ot defence, and made a very full reference then to the land forces. In addition, I asked for the co-operation or all sections of the community in assisting the Government in its efforts to increase the strength of the territorial forces and bring them v- to the highest, state of efficiency. “Seeing that a full report -f my i • marks was first published in the morning papers of May 18, an .• hat the manifesto of the four senior officers was handed to the Press in Auckland, and appeared in the issues nf May 19. it is evident that it haC been prepared and signed prior to mv speech. This makes their action ale the more regrettable, and instead ot being helpful to the territorial forces, as I had hoped, their attitude ha* been the reverse.”