NAVAL DEFENCE

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14836, 29 November 1913, Page 10

NAVAL DEFENCE

The Naval Defence Bill brought down yesterday, as our Wellington correspondent explains, provides the machinery for carrying out the policy embodied in the statement laid before the House by Mr Massey on October 28th. The main feature of the Ministerial policy is that in future, instead of paying £100,000 annually to the Admiralty, the Dominion .will bear the cost of a small naval force for NewZealand, principally for the purpose of training young New Zealanders for the Naval Service, either as officers.or men. Whatever may be said on the question of local fleet units as against the policy of one Navy with undivided control, we fancy that the proposal that this country should give practical assistance in the matter of contributing to the •'personnel" of the Navy will meet with general approval. The Ministerial memorandum contemplates the provision of a "Bristol" cruiser in 1915, at a cost of £400,000, if no satisfactory arrangements have been made with the Admiralty for the stationing of such a vessel in New Zealand; waters. On this point there will probably be some difference of opinion, but the provision of euch a cruiser is not embodied in the present Bill. It will be time enough" to,discuss that proposal when the Goyerainent ask for the laonev. Another

portion of the Bill which will commend itself to both sides is the section which enacts that whenever war has been, or is likely to be declared, between Great Britain and any other country, the ships, etc., acquired under the Act for naval defence and the New Zealand Naval Force, shall pass under the control of the Admiralty until peace has been proclaimed, or until hostilities have terminated. The Bill is to come on for discussion on- Wednesday, and we hope that it will be dealt with on broad and patriotic lines.