Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Præevalebit. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1916. ONE FLAG, ONE NAVY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3566, 28 September 1916, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Præevalebit. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1916. ONE FLAG, ONE NAVY.

If the resignation by 'the Hon. James Allen of his position in the Ministry is the price New Zealand must pay for maintaining- its present policy with regard to naval defence, we believe the sacrifice would be cheerfully made. In a statement made by the Minister in Auckland he declared that "there must be developments in New Zealand in relation to naval matters in the future, otherwise he. would not remain in the Cabinet"; and in a subsequent interview he indicated —somewhat vaguely, it must be admitted—what form he considered the "developments'' should take. He said he "did not believe in a money contribution to the Imperial Navy.' The Dominion should take its own share in the creation of the Navy by providing its own units, in which New Zealanders might serve." Thus far, his statement is clear enough, but he added: "It was never intended that there should be a local navy, but a New Zealand unit of the Royal Navy." This is merely a distinction without a difference. "Local unit" and " local navy " appear to us to be interchangeable terras. The effect of the creation of either would be the same —an enormous "burden of expense that the country cannot possibly shoulder without serious neglect of urgent internal development work. In proof of this, we need only point to the present \ position with regard to public wof'ks. The extra expenditure caused by the war has dislocated our finances to such an' . extent that for 12 months, at least, hardly any money will be available for many necessary works in all parts of the Dominion. It is true that when the war is over a great deal of this expenditure will cease, but we will be left with a huge load of debt upon which we will have to pay very heavy interest charges. In addition to: these, the pensions and allowances to soldiers and their dependents will absorb a very large sum. Already these amount to about £200,000 per annum, and only 4000 claims have been dealt with. It is estimated that the annual charges for pensions, etc, will amount to at least £500,000. These facts regarding our financial responsibilities ought to make it clear that we have no right to pledge the country's credit any further. The estimated cost of the Commonwealth naval policy is £73,000,000, p1u5,£15.000,000 for coast defences, and m order to provide a'naval unit (to adopt the Minister's term) that would be effective, New Zealand would require to incur a liability of'practically a similar sum. If we decided upon spending only half this amount it would moan an addition of £-14,000,000 to our national debt, and the interest on thateum, together with the maintenance charges and salaries" and wages of the crews, would make very serious inroads in our annual revenue. So much for the financial considerations, which make the creation of a local ntivy merely an idle dream. As to the other aspect, of the question—the. possibility of n navy in Pacific waters giving help to Great Britain in time of need: .the facts of tho naval, situation prove eonelusively^ that such .ships would have arrived too late ■■at the vital spot to. haver been of any service. For instance, if the German fleet had been sufficiently .strong to attack the British fleet on the declaration of war, it would have been useless to .summon he-ln from New Zvw-

lend, Australia, South Africa, or even Canada. Then, as to tho argument "that a pacific fleet (that is to say, the combined local 'navies of Australia and New Zealand) would have prevented the raiding' excursions of German cruisers, it lias been stated by the Admiralty that- between 70 and 80 vessels—British, French, and

Japanese—were en.g-a.ged in Imuting for -these raiders; \so it'Was 1 not because of the scarcity of pur-j suing' ships that the enemy's cruisers were enabled to remain so long at large. Mr Allen's policy ■of self-reliance is an admirable one in some respects, but in his ardour for the larger-.lm-perialism he is apt to overlook the more pressing domestic issues. For many years to come New Zeajland will be absorbed in development work, and in caring for her soldiers and their dependents. Let us therefore continue our contribution to the maintenance of the Bjritish .Navy, and help to consolidate the Empire's might by encoTiraging closer trade relation's with its different parts.