Reasons for Keeping Troops in Singapore

The real reason for Mr McCready's decision to keep the troops in Singapore is both political and philosophical. Political, because it was committed in its election policy to review the Labour government's decision to bring the troops home - a sugar coated pill designed to prevent a drop in morale and the disatisfaction which was being expressed with regard to service conditions at home. Philosophical, because it is a resurrection of the old doctrine which regards Sea as NZ's first line of defence.

If this is the doctrine the National government is subscribing to then I suppose it logically follows that NZ troops should be trained for a war which, in the opinion of a short-sighted National government, will be fought first in Sea.