DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 601, 1 September 1909, Page 6

DEFENCE CONFERENCE.

A REJOINDER TO HON. C. FOWLDS. BY MR;'JAMES ALLEN. > " (Br Toletraph.-rreßi AiioclMlon.l : '' Ounedln, August 31. s Mr. James Allen, M.P., interviewed by a "Star" reporter regarding the outcome or tho Dofenbo Conference, said: "What Mr. Maisoy says is absolutely accurate. So for as I can soo,, Mr. Massey hopes for national training/ andi.that harbour defence' has not.' ' been overlooked.'■■ He. does\ihot Bay they:' have been overlooked. It seems to mo that ■' tho Hon; Mr. Fowlds baa, gone out of. his way to-make an unnecessary and unjustifiable attack ,on ; Mr. Massey. v Tboro- is' no need for Mr. Massey to parade, his patriot- ■ ism. It is too well known and too sinoero—, not to bo m'ontionod in the same, breath with the patriotism of anyone on tho other Bide of politics,, Tho question JB,,.not:whethor.a . Dreadnought or an • Indomitablo is tho better lighting l machine. ft)' real question is much deeper. So far as: cur offer, is con- i; corned, Mr. Fowlds knows porfectly well that • Mr. Massey does riot want to band over ' to outsiders the control of ...tho. national' •■: training.of the youths of New .Zealand, and, that he (the Minister) is not going to deceive, tho people, by any'such suggestion. Similarly unworthy of Mr. ■Fowlds' is | his suggestion' that Mr. Massey is ; developing German sympathies. ■ If a Minister of tho. . Crown has no better work to do, ho had bot- ; tor take a. trip, somewhere.. Mr. Massoy's . lioutenants aro ' perfectly satisfied to waif' till thoy know, what tho decisions of tho cpnferenco. are. Mr. Massey ■ was only. speak- .'■ ing on a rough;' outline.. Nothing ho has said shows hostility.; to the conference de-' cisions. All ho: Bays..is that;ho is somewhat disappointed. in . tho meantime. , 'Maybe, when wo get tho full programme, other* V will bo.disappointed top.''-.,'. •■'.• ■:■■■■.■■'

. WHAT NEW ZEALAND PAPERS BAY. The Commonwealth" may 1 /, fairly congratulate itself,' we' think, upon having secured ;'a <; : reasonable-, fulfilment ''of .'its aspirations : at '• relatively a 'trifling . coat. Whether any. measure of local control is 'to bo enjoyed :by ' New Zealand. 1 simi-. lar to that conceded; to Australia is a' point upon which we are left in doubt. As an armoured cruiser of the Indomitable typo —ono that is fit to' lie ,in the. lino: with battleships—costs about £11726,000,' it is obvious that the fresh contribution from Nov/ Zealand oovera a good deal more than tho; interest on tho amount required to • provide: a vessel .of this description, But we;are'as yet left in; ignorance■ of the specific direction ■ in which -the balance of our. special eontH-' bution, will, be -applied. ; • Sir. jMassoy :may. not havo. incorrectly..gauged.,public';feeling.'' whoa' ho. qiiostiori's vrhethcr':.'tho'. chorus' 'or '. approval ot'.tho.offer by tho .Government of; the gift of a" battleship to the Imperial .Navy would have boon so emphatio: if it had beeii suppi>sod -that the.'gift' would ultimately take tho:);orm of talarmoaredfcruiser which is to; forhi: part; ol 1 the' Chinai.unit 'of.the Paciiio, fleet.—."Otagjo Daily .Times." .;■: -;;: c '

.;■ Australia-'.'is- I '''ambitious '■■■}»;■■ possess- a ','■ 'fleet j';' of -•'. lior-. own!;- ■ ;<W<a>think" ; such, a'.'.prbposal'-is'' ■before, ■ its-, ! ,;timoi 7 that "•.'..';■ it would bo ■ wiser for the;, Commonwealth to:.''-. inoi'caso hor ! ; population -and her '■■'■ resources;' 'before.', embarking on such 1 a'costly /enter- ~ .praoV colitcrjting herself' in: the '';meantime; ] .- ■with: a- liberal contribution to ;tho •, British ; Navy. -V After all,' it '.must bo', conceded; that. '■'■ the Pacific and.'.tholChina,Sea,oannot bo: left.;, unpoliced,' , and; Now Zealand will no doub't enable the. "'/, MotherCountry.te devote*'more;attention,to;. •the. heart-of.' tho .Empire,'; whore, tho;. stab..; ■will; bo directed .when: war; arrives; '.■'■ Wo car* ; '. riot,' howover, refrain from expressing' th<; ■~ opinion.thatiit, would I .ho a mistake to, sevoi,, ;,' our connection witktho Australian Squadron' and. to transfer. New Zealand to tho charge- ■. ■ ;of';tho:Admiral y .Squadron,-as seems to 1 bo. intended! /Why '.'";.. not/apply the Now" Zealand conlribution \ in' '•-. ;;'■„'■ this 1 direction, /and .allow; the ''Australian' ■•';•; Squiidrou,'Or. a part'of iti'; ; to'':V'isit.Now'''Zea' ; ' ; »! as is doho'at'present P ;. Fh*.'..'[ ally;'we hope that; liberal'opportunities:, will' ■■}. bo offered to young; New Zealaftders' toiom- . brace a pava!career.— <jhristctiurch':' l Presß.' r , Theoutsido pressure and the constant re- V.. .' nowal of moro or loss accurate gucssea'havo ■■.'•'■■ probably caused. Mr;,' to; mako. ia '■'.''.' the House of Commons a very full, and" a ; very satisfactory statement on the work and results of the conference.; Wis are sure there ' will; be a deep feeling of satisfaction of'prido ... and of, relief, throughout: the Empire when theso'aro known.: Tlio .Empfco;'»'awake v at ■') last.';.. Wo .'are '.'•no. y. at'.t.sixes ; and- ' sevens,': 'n'of'; lmdwin(t;';which -way.,. to turn. ..Australia,;; .CanalLv -and Now. Zealand -each/has;her ; allotted work,;and intSie execution thereof will 1« clevated'and ■" strengthened by ■ ithat, it is. part; '■ of ■ that one. common "task—tile-; maintenance.: :• and of a'United British Empiro .. —to which wo all, alike gubscribe.—lhuiodin .'.'Stor-'V';■:.;,.'.'v'':'-:'A''.'.;'.:: •;<■:':•■- ..'

: ForthepurpoßM .forwhich bottcs'will bo ohiefly needed in. the Paciflo, to guard British oommorce, and_to,koep open, the, highway bo!.. communication and, trado,;.'.fast cruiserc:, must. ,'bo'.-' infinitely-..'■ more' valuable', .than relatively,: Slower] ': That; tho, ■ proposed outlay via indispensable :;to. ,ouiV ! safety, and-; that.it .represents, a ■.necessary '.' and prbiitable;form',' .for.,tha\ v. country,, w'o,regard as'finally.'and.conch. ■■■,■ sivcly:-.proved.':' "And •while wo v ;sympathise,' 'with ; Australia's.; desire ;.to-\-.establisb ':. and ':!, maintain a.flcet of her own. wo;believe:thai..:' Now Zealand,';with.rolativcly'smaller moans>; at ''her disposal, is : doing .bettor- for. 1 herself -.;" by contributing l towards ; :England's'; nayaj, expenses,'.and thus-securing a form ofipro. !. taction far more effective:than anything w«;\. could afford ■ to. provide for..'ourselves.. Tha . decision .to station-a BmaU squadron in-Now,. Zealand. waters' seems to us. a very important'-,' concession,.as it will keep' us in touch;■with -,'.■-.: the larger: fleets policing the Pacific, and ' will,, at the same time; produce'a' strong v.. moral-, effect. if any material;, danger should ;'' ever .threaten, our shores.—Auckhnd:,''Star.'' ;■ ;!Tho decisions' of tkeconferenco are framed , • on such lines-that their approval will, Wo think, follow as' a ; matter, of cpnrsa.'' : ':ln. ■'.'■ connection with tho: military ■ scheme, .tho .-.;■; arrangement ribw', adopted interferes'•;to,tho ; smallest possiblo extent .with .local .systems, '■!";.', and its weakness admittedlylies in"the:'oon«:.- ; ! ccssisn-of=looalicontrol. ,'l'or'our own part,- ■ -.'; wo,feel that New; Zealand's share in .it will ~"'!. not be oomploto until Parliament -deter-' mines to . introducb the.: universal training: of young '"men".'-' :lt is'.quite !clcar -that Now :'.,. Zealand■ must; be/prepared to find : a great ':■;} deal.more'.monoy. for defence purposes' than .';. Bho!has :paid 'ifl'tho past.: Wo do notboliove that the public .will grodgo tho ; os-::; ' penditure.—"LyttcSton .Times/' ;:■:■{•.;' It: must bo congenial: to our. pride, and': ? patriotism to '.fcjy. assured' that ..tho United..: Kingdom will" watch the' North Sea for it-. . self, and is prepared with our loyal support .-■"■. and assistance,to resume its old position in '-~ the: Pacific. As long as the Imperial, Navy, holds.the seas; wc;hvo:in an■ atmospbero of: security,-': wherein .we may disoußß safely tho necessity for oxcluding Asiatics, the adv.in- ' tages or protection.and preference,, tho rival i ; merits of■ leasehold and freehold,: and tho im-,:. perativenoss of schemes. NowZca- ~ land gains so much by tnb'lmperial organisa-.-. tion,. is;, so vastly indebted.-to it for peace and security, which without it would have \ .'.; bceu:uttcriy impossible, that wo can -hardly.'"' do too much 'in return. It is regrettable, "..".- however, that; the. agreement to ''standardise", tho military forces, has not.: been ac« compauiod by an. Imperial rocommoiidatiou • '■."' of. universal defensive .training.—"New! Zoo-: . land Herald." !', .';;.',. :. '■:,:'