COLONIAL DEFENCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1376, 21 October 1886, Page 2

COLONIAL DEFENCE

Wellington, October 80.

The Colonial Treasurer’s memo is from the Treasury point of view. He considers t‘ie question has passed into one of urgent financial and political importance in New Zealand and the neighboring colonies. When war was threatened, the New Zealand Government were willing to recommend an annual payment of £20,000 as h war broke out New Zealand was marked as an inviting spot for the operations of cruisers. To this the Admiral has shown no inclination to respond, but evidently Is amused at the Australasian colonies assuming liability towards the naval defence of the Empire. Two broad Issues are presented— the first: Whether the Colonial Governments can acquiesce in the Imperial Government confess dly leaving that portion of the Empire insufficiently protected, and using the fact as a means of negotiating for a pecuniary contribution. The second : Whether the group of colonies should consent to contribute to the naval forces, wad if so, In what terms. The Treasurer is unable to agree that the Australasian colonies should be left without adequate support, and cordially agrees that the/ colonies in common with other Brlt ah dominions should contribute to the cost of the naval forces of the Empire; He thinks the mother country, India, the constitutional colonies, and Crown colonies should contribute on en established basis, and should have a fairly proportionate r presentation in a Federal Parliament, the basts of contribution to be on three-fold conditions, of property, population, and trade, and subject to a periodical adjustment. This should place the naval forces on a footing to render Great Britain thu constituted indifferent to complications and diasentions of Foreign Powers The Treasurer thinks the colony should not commit itself to a wider scheme which is not equally applied to all parts of the Empire.