FLEET FOR U.S.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 224, 21 September 1945, Page 5

FLEET FOR U.S.

PEACETIME STRENGTH '■> DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS PLANNED Recd. 10 p-m. Washington, Sept. 10. A Navy Departmcn 1 spokesman disclosed tnat in order to reacn peaceume strength tne ANavy pi*nnea to dispose oi six oatliesinpc, 11 cruisers, tmee large curcian-carners, one escort carrier, 83 63 uestoyer escorts,, bU submarines, several tnousana lana.ng-crait ana hunareas oi otner types oy scrapping, salvage oi* use atom oomb targets. aimerica should nave an active navy reaay ior battle oi 300 modern combat vessels, sad the becretary ol the Navy (Mr. James ForrestaD, testilyil;g oetore tne House of Kepresentatives Naval Affairs Committee on the size of the peacetime ileet. He auded tnat the fleet should include 11 battleships, 15 aircraitcariers, 21 escort-carriers, 20 heavy cruisers, 20 large cruisers, 176 destroyers, 40 destroyer escorts, and HO submaiines, in adaition to supporting cralt. All should be new ships, completed since 1940. Mr. ForreMal suggested that there should be laid up in reserve seven old uattiesh.ps, 22 new carriers, 58 escortcarriers, 14 heavy cruisers, 19 light cruisers, 191 destroyers, 25 f destroyer escorts, 110 submarines, and also supporting craft, with a ‘•ready” reserve of 100 major ships. “The key to tne future victory and freedom ot this country will be in the control or tn e seas and the skies above them,” said Mr. Forres tai. “We must have a navy capable of delivering an atomic bomb attack Nobody knows how the atomic bomb will affect the modelling ol navies, but we intend to adapt it to carrier-based planes. The atomic bomb, while immensely destructive, is still a oomb which requires land-based or carrierbased planes to deliver it. The best defence against it (is intercepting air power. It we were to give away our fleet and rely wholly on the bomb we would lose control of the sea.”

Mr. Forrestal sa;d that while the active fleet would be numerically smaller than the pre-war fleet in December, 1941, it would be faster and incomparably stronger in firepower and aviation.

He suggested that the Navy should have about 12,000 planes and a total personnel of 500,000 to 600,000 men. Mr. Forrestal urged the establishment of the following Pacific bases:— Kodiak, Uriak, Hawaii, Balboa, Guam. Saipan, Tinian, the Bonin and Volcanic Islands, and perhaps the Riukius, the Philippines and Manus. He suggested the following Atlantic bases:—Newfoundland, Bermuda, San Juna, Guantanamo Bay, Cocos Inland, and Trinidad.

bringing the survey up to date. The Bill provided machinery by which mapy sub-standard houses could be improved and envisaged the replanning of parts of our towns. The House adjourned for tea at 5.30 p.m. HATRED FOR SLUMS. Nobody had the monopoly of hatred for slums, and he was prepared to accept «..;y reasonable amendment to the .. c.sure when the Bill was in Comm.dee of the House or before the Local Bills Committee, said Mr Semple to-night, replying to the second reading aebate on tne Housing Improvement Bill. Mr. Semple said it was time, now that the war was over, to introduce a Bill giving power to local authorities to take action hi regard to housing improvement. It had been said that the time was inopportune for the Bill because of the scarcity of homes, but he sincerely hoped the shortage of manpower and materials would not exist twelve months hence, when a start could be made to clean up undesirable sites in our cities and towns. He was glad the House had accepted the Bill in so friendly a manner. This showed an earnest endeavour on both sides to solve the problem. He deplored the fact that slums existed in such a young country as New Zealand. The bulwarks of a nation were to be found in the home life of its people, and it was the bounden duty of every thinking individual with any power or responsibility to get rid of the slum menace as soon as possible.

Mr. Semple thanked and complimented Mr.* Algie, Mr. Harker, Mrs. Ross and Mr. W. Sullivan on their contributions to the debate. Mrs. Ross had stressed the fear that there might be hardship imposed on those who might have to leave their dwellings, but, said Mr. Sample, that particular event was provided for adequately. Mr. W. Sullivan had expressed the opinion that the Bill was premature. Mr. Semple would not agree to that, but did agree that it was inadvisable to operate the Bill right away. Not until the housing shortage became less acute could the Bill operate. There was no desire to confiscate anyone’s property or intrude on private interests, but it was desired to wipe out slum areas which should not exist in a young country. Mr. Semple said there was no danger of the State houses becoming sub-standard houses, as had been suggested. Wherever extensive State housing was undertaken areas were scientifically planned to give every amenity for modern social life, recreation areas, shopping centres, schools, churches, dental clinics, etc. were all provided for. Moreover. 10 per cent, of each area subdivided for State housing was set aside for reserves. compared with the usual 5 per per cent, of 'areas developed by private enterprise. FAVOURABLE IM PRESSION. Mr. Semple said visitors from overseas had been more than favourably impressed with the standard of the State houses in New Zealand, which compared well with Stale homes anywhere in the world. Tne Minister declared that Mr. Sheat had been the Bill’s most unreasonable critic. He had expressed approval of its principles and then proceeded to call it a piece of political window dressing. The member for Patea had made a noire like a foghorn, but \vhen it was sifted it was “as destitute of logic as a frog is of feathers.” Only four insig-niiicant local bodies had turned the Bill down, vet Mr Sheat professed to speak for all local bodiesc

Mr Semple said he had an open mind on the question of Maori housing and he would be guided by the opinion of the House. He had taken the clause embracing Maori housing out of the Bill at the request of local bodies. Toward thejßill the pivot of tlu' local authorities’ argument was on point that in some p’aces where rate < were heavy and the Maori population dense the pakeha would have to carry a second burden. It might be possible to prepare a modified clause which would nut imply diserlmlnatio-a. Local bodies, however, would have to tackle the lob of getting rid uf houses ’ not tit to live in. herttses where a walking-stick could be poked through walls houses which were breeding places for rats.” The Government was going to see that the motherhood of the countr\ was given .1 better chance and was going to build State homes better than ever and have the best housed people in the world. If tackled with energy and foresight the housing problem would he non-exist-ent in five years’ time. The Rill was read «n second time and was referred to the Local Bills Com-