SYSTEM OF DEFENCE

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 244, 17 November 1930, Page 8

SYSTEM OF DEFENCE

Per Press Association.

WANTS GOOD PERMANENT FORCS MA J OR-GENER AL YOUNG'S DESIIIE.

WELLINGTON, Last night, Remarking that his soldiering wa3 now coming to a close, Major-General Young, G.O.C. New Zealand forces, when ispeaking at tlie annual re-union of th© Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.F., on Saturday evening, said it was his great wisli to "leave a good show behind him" in the way of permanent defence forces before he retired from his present positiou. "I have never been quick at putting up the S.O.S.," Major-General' Young said, "and I am not going to put it> up yet. If I do, though, I know there will be many who will stand hy me. I am coming close to the end of niy soldiering. I would like to leave a gootl show beliind me, and six or seven months ago I could have said that was the ppsition. "I must leave beliind me a good permanent force and if I do that, then New Zealand will be all right whatever may happen. I would like you in your general talk," the general cbncluded, "to stress that one of the hest things you can have if you cannot have a territorial force is a good permanent force that can get ont at the souud of the first gun." Reference to the present position of the defence forces was also made hy several other speakers during the evening. "The narne you have given the regiment should still be cari'ied on," Colonel G. H. Hall, ex-president of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association said when proposing the toast of "The Regiment." It was indeed greatly to he regretted that those who had given service and had done so much m training in the old days now saw before them a state of affairs that- would provide no adequate defence force in the f uture. "It behoves "us to rally round and help to make the # defence scheme an efficient oue in every way," he said, adding that if he were a yonng man and were able to do so, lxe would start a company to-morrow. The training those present and others in a similar position had. gone through would be lost to those following on for the next 10 or 15 years, Colonel Hall said. In reply to the toast LieutenantColonel ~W. H. Cuimingham, D.S.O., said he was proud to assure the gathere ing that the territorial hattalions were proud of the traditions that had heen carried on and handed down by those who had. fought with the regiment in the war. Among those present at the gathere ing were Lieutenant-Colonel Avery, O.M.G., D.S.O., president of the Wellington _ Returned Soldiers' Associa-* tion, Lieutenant-Colonel Cnnningham,D.S.O., three of the seven New Zealanders who won the V.C. in the war, Captain L. W. Andrews and Lieutenants J. G. Grant and S. Frickleton^