IMPERIAL AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 623, 28 September 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL AFFAIRS.

SIR JOSEPH WARD. REVIEWS DEFENCE CONFERENCE. . ./- , / LEAVES SUVA.' , ■■■.:>.' <Bj Ttlegr»pß.-rre«» /HBoclailon.-OoDjrlchl.l ' ' . ..'■.".V • ' Suva, September 27. '•'■•' Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of -New, ■ Zealand, arrived hero to-day ■by tho Makura ::' ; from Vancouver. In the'eourso of an interview . V regarding the work of tho Defence Confcreaco, . Sir Joseph Ward saids ', .-.-'■. ' , Naval Defence. /.:■*■' "This is tho first time any definite 6chorao for tho defence of tho Pacific has boon arrived ! ■ at, and, quite nsido from tho work done nt . tho conference, the representatives from Britain'. . ' : ' and tho oversea Dominions, meeting for the \;' first time on purely defence matters, have. : arraugod a sound basis upon which a naval defence structurocan in'time bo erected., Tho , autonomy of tho various colonies y is necessarily protected, and each will'; havo ■'~ tho ri(jht to give effect to its own policy for '•..■'■: protective purposes.. .'■•'■'--.. ■''••.. ■';. ■■■ .. ' ';, , 'The Military Side.; / .:", i ; ■•.-:'' y "In addition to naval defence,,the work done •'.. •;.:■ in the reorganising of tho land defence system .' has been, very: great. The- goal, aimed at was . .'■ uniformity in all the splf-governing'dominions, subject to. tho ratification of.' the different/. " ' Governments. A very important scheme , of do-,;' :.'■' fence was evolved!" '■.'.'. ■; ■~-''■•..;' generally,.'Sir , ' Joseph .Ward saidi . ;, "The work dono at tho conference was exceed-' ingly valuable, aiidjjivhen the"different Parlia- "':>■' ments deal with thfc" matter, T look forward to , ! '; seeing that.a very':'much' stronger Imperial; ■'•',.;" position .than ever before attained'will bo es-, '{. '.". tablished as the outcome of this' conference." '■,'■'•' -. '.'' ■ 'V Penny Pottage/;. ';" -■''""':':<:■ •As to postal communication, Sir Joseph saids ' ~: "I moved a.resolution for universal penny- .).-■., postage at Romo., Tho resolution 'was defeated, V' '■ \ though'not by tiio majority some people have K represented. 1 • .However,, .it': was agreed thnt.'i '.'■ written agreements could ',be : . nia'do- by any . ' countries in the.Postal Union, and since then "•'.', Germany; and. France.':and. America' have v availed themselves of tho agreement/.. This!fe.'■■■< ■'■ a beginning, nnd. othnr .countries; will, do : thn'.. ■• same/ I-expressed, my brlief—and am ! 'pleased;""■■• that liiy/proptec.v is. already, fulfilled'byotwq '. ■ C; important conntrios-that Bo.'.country ; .can;.af. ■;'.'■';' '■ ford • to stand out of tho' cheapest means 1 of '' • : '-~'': postal commnnicntion; wliicli means an ■ ad-", ■ vantage commercially ■ nnd ■■ socially, ■'■■■ ■■■■.'■.■:■■ .;.. .Enthusiastic jpr Statcownod. Cabteej'f ■;'{■;'',■ ■\"I am enthusiastic for 'cabics, M continued- Sir Joseph..,; , wiil \& rcplaco' these, unless some genius 'invents.i» '^ ! system to operate , by land.or:sea.;:The Pacifio -.;: cable, has 1 , done great service, liut 'what-ia • . ,' ; wauted is , a complete .i-biite for. !'.?•: communication Syith nil. parts;of. the Empire."-. '- ■ I-ady and Miss\Ward Se'ddbn 'are ■' well.- -.:'./',; ,'..: ■'.';■ f',,(/;.;; : ;;/ ; ..-\;;-..,!;\.>-.;. ! i': ~. 1T.M.5. Challengerileft: Suva; at,'nooa- •': : : to-day.;- '-, ■.-. . ■ i , -.- ,-.. ■ .;■';■■. .. ,'.:.■■: \ ..;'..*.;. •■.-, ■ : : i.-': ■;. -;sm Joseph-'ward.' ; : : .^. ';>-■:; ! Tho Acting-I'rime Minister . (the-Hoii,:'j/ :'W Carroll) has • received word, that Sir: Joseph ' Ward and .party,arrived,;by.tho/Mak.irafat". ; - went : on 't o< say. lhat. all. .wore welt: aod *that I '■'•• Challenner for Auckland. :It is expected'.that' - or Thifr!da B - - r, ' Auc^ In ™- at r V-m. '- ; ' ■' ; :/^".^"^,P%fD |A^Ayy/;:.-;: /■ : :'; i : BE: IN' EVERt^SEKSE'.' , ; ■ , ~ : i,,(I?«C. September 28,;0.40''a,m.K /'. , ; ; -i'i ■ ' '. v„■ ■ ; : -JrW : - '■■ ! '■'•■'' Ottawa;' September' 27.': "•'. ; '■'■JH-g I ®®**- Mi Wter; for replying L^:: to .a QmAec deputation/stated th'at,the-charac. ter, of ■ the.Canadian' Navy Vas,:still;open"' to■ " ■ qiiestiqn, but Canadians, might- , un the •' Navy- being national fin nvery , .sense/'' '■'■ ''-'■ ■ . ; ' • •,. ;'; : 'AUSTEAmN: DEFENCE WJL,} i^" : . ■''ti'' : «nt. ''■'■ ■'■■'L ■■' September; C«; :; ';V ■ Tho in .an arrjelo, on ,the Aus- • ■>' frehan -Defence" Bill;, snye 'thoi Bill provides ;■ 1 for a thorough application, of- tho .'principle of: '■' • •:' umversal compulsory, military training,' After ' '■' BiTjng:a.Bun)'maiy of tlie PederaiGovernment'e' :" ' .proposals, the, article concludes thus:'/ ' ■ ' ; ;"Megnificently is tho.'. Commonwealth setting ''' itsof to discharge its Imperial obligations. The ■ ' ■ contagion .will';doubtless spread to 'other ■ '■■■ . minions. ; :.;.;. ■-.' .;'.;.; .;, ',■..-■';.'.-■ -,-. •.'■•'■ .'v , ■■; UNIFICATION OF- 23 ABMY ! Acoording :te:^London - advieoi' the ecteme ' '^ wnal Defence Confarohoe "means tho enifioa- ; ■ . • * * .',•■* 1^: 10 ' 000 , m « n -' :;?s* :bnses..of the wieme : :.'.; 1 1. It Reaves tho: colonic ; -n-ith'as free a hand •'" v': in local oontrol , as at'present. : :,,""■-:., "2. The organisation, is entirely: for ; 'd«fcn«(, :' : -> ' and m no.senso'foringjressipn.,:-:.:;;' ;; >;i ■- i 00,500 ;'■>;;-V,V':V.,V/ : ;}-" "While tho several-forces will 'riadv"to :'■ co-operate -in. Imperial, defence, ■ they wilK'be - :: ;; so organised ns to be perfectly useful for their'" ■ own Kome defence. ■TWvwin-Wrchdy for' Impennl_cmergcncy, and 1 uniform in' tho".for- ■"■ •■'■: mahon of units.-. transpert;;and' tho -like; ■-■ '-■'-'. •• I J ord:-Kitchenoi''s fask is to \suggest.'atid":'"» ! '' : - : devis? a svstenv of training, , ciohangopf stnffsi'v' ; creation of; military,academies, .and;- prenara- ■ '- tiou for mobilisation. '. '."■.■■':•• ',-:-y- .;■■'".'.'■ -.."Wβ fl ave pur ~ "force'- 'of" six- .^' : divisions: wo.have:tho Cape with the Mediter- '■■'■:" ranean division; we- have -Lord. Kitchener's '-. ■■ mhe.divisions in India; we havo fourteen Tor- '' ritorial; divisions at Home;; we. have Canada, , ' Aiistraha, New. Zealond; and South Africa; •■,- which are not likely An provide fewer , than 16 ' < divisions; having regard.to their own interests, ' for.home. defenes.".. lndeed,' Canada'.is already.'■•,>-'> talking of 100,000-mcn..- i .;..•■->;:.;. -. . . The Chain of Defonce.; '-.';■ ..■'.-. ■>■■ '/■■■'■ fy. ;iiV;;; "The ohain of -.deferico ■ will; be-first,■: the"' : ■ H«fnilar expeditionary force, then tho Special '>' .Reserve battalions, tho'Territorials called- un - ■ for active service assoon as war breaks but, : :' tho Territorial Reserve, the Technical Reserve - - and tho Veterans' Reserve;-. Supposing if neces.-' '■-' sary to. call on the European, troops in India ' : tho.necessary white, garrison,- might be'-.pro- ' vvid«d by. one of the'colonies,;say South Africa.' ■'-. Supposing thejvar in;Australin, the Canadian - ":"' dmsioijßvwould help.:.' ;Lord,Kitchener nnd ; :V --' General French will havo before f them in Aus- v; tralasia and Canada the duty of Riving advice' . and assistance a? to tho' formation of th«a . : '" local divisions.and Army corps. ' v -■: ,-. Malta's Importance,■': •.'. ' .- ,',-,:• ..••..'■■'••',' ; "Malta is to be maid as a sort .of Claphftm June ion for; defence. .Through it will rmi aU : the line? by which the Empire's fightingforcM ;• ■ will bo concentrated;at this or that threatened'''. - ■"' point.. ■ '■■ v ' : ' '~ : \ _ ■ ■ .. .-. .■ ■■' • "Prom Malt* Lord JKitchcner will inspect and ''- : ■"■'■■ supervise tho trstmnr of (ho South African ' ; divisions.-- He wil. aso oversee'tho defence"\ '■'•'."- of-Egypt and tho % ireditcrraueaii. Beyond that '■ ;: jo will, as member of the;' Committee of De- ■'>■' ""«• "P. l *?' hi? views and the decisions at which ho has arrived. ... .; , : : ■ :.