HON. F. M. B. FISHER AT EASTBOURNE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14986, 5 June 1914, Page 8

HON. F. M. B. FISHER AT EASTBOURNE.

(rRF.ss Afi.«nrTATio>r tet.kgraw '• WELLINGTON, June 4. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher addressed a meeting at Eastbourne to-night. Dealing with naval defence, the Minister said there was an impression abroad that the Government was going to establish a local navy. This was untrue-absurdly wrong. Such a story .was a straw man set up by the sition, to which they setj a light, and around which ,they danced gleefully. The Government did not want New Zealand to bo cut off from Great Britain at any price, and to this end - had inserted a clause in last year's Naval Bill, which said that in the event of declaration of war between Great Britain and another Power, men or vessels in New Zealand wators should pass automatically to the control of the Admiralty. In 1909 the Imperial Government agreed to send out two Bristol cruisers and two destroyers to New Zealand, H.M.S. New Zealand remaining in Homo waters. After some delay the British Government found it inadvisable to send out the Bristols, and New Zealand would have to be content with the Psyche, Pyramus, and Philomel, which were obsolete, and useful only as training ships. It would be better for the Dominion to have one good ship than three useless ones.