The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1912. AUSTRALASIAN DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1357, 7 February 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1912. AUSTRALASIAN DEFENCE.

"We are told to-day that the Commonwealth Government has decided to take action "so soon as politics in New Zealand are more settled, , towards securing closer relations with this country. Mn. Fisher is reported as speaking of "a defence agreement" between tho two peoples "as practically an immediate _ step towards closer political relations." Of course it is impossible to guess at the full size and shape of the ultimate arrangement that Mr. Fisher has in his mind, but it is clear that New Zealand must be extremely wary in considering any proposal for common action in any field outside that of ordinary business, especially as Mr. Fisher frankly declares that his goal is the political federation of New Zealand with the other States— a goal that will not be reached until the people of the Dominion undergo a complete change of feeling. Although Mr. FistiEß has on more than one occasion recently expressed his conviction that the people of Australia are eager for amalgamation with New Zealand, there is reason to doubt whether his confidence has very •much warrant in fact. The Melbourne Age, for example, is almost violent in its hostility to the Prime Minister's ideas. It asks: "Are the Australian people really yearning to join naval forces with New Zealand 1 What and where are the signs of this wonderful development? How are their new-born desires and anxieties expressed 1 We look around ns and search in vain for flushed and eager faces. Nowhere is there any clamour to be heard for any sort of closer union with New Zealand." The Aijt, which is a little sharp in its references to Now Zealand, contrasts with oilr policy of a naval subsidy tho policy of Australia, which, it says, already possesses several modern and efficient warships, and the beginnings of a fleet "that must one day prove n substantial factor in the world's affairs." A naval federation oil conditions of something like equality is declared to be impossible, because such a federation would involve the construction of a deep sea battle fleet: Now and for many years to come (says our contemporary) our navy will be too small and too weak to guarantee tho safety of our own land with its whole forces exclusively employed in our service. 'In impose upon it the extra burden and responsibility of defending, or helping (o defend, a'countrv five days' steiiin iiWny ituuld be a policy worthy only of a nice of Ik-dlalhites. 'The naval policy of Aniridia hils bteh framed on (he basis of Australian requirements alone. It niay conceivably accomplish the purposes for which it wns devised, but it cannot bo wrought to minister to alien needs except, at I he expense of a complete economic and constructional revolution. National defence is now costing n< at the rate of Jtt,73(),1>00 per annum. The share of this sum I hat is ciir-ninrkcil for the navy is intended to provide us with a lleot capable of protecting our own coasts und commerce. J\"o more, than that. Wore we to link hands navailv with Kew Zealand our naval responsibilities would instantly and prodigiously expand. We should require forthwith a "deep se,i battle lleet. Our coast protccling rnivy i< coaling us almost as dearly as we can afford to pay. The projected, (loop sen navy which Mr. Fisher holds in view would swell the expenditure Ipyonii the power of ea-y reckoning. This argument is not rjnitp so strong as it may at first sight appear. If it will be many years before the Australian Navy is a dependable means of national defence, then, by the time it has grown to perfect effectiveness, the means of Australia and New Zealand will have grown greet onouKh to provide a fleet for joint.

(li'fpncc. But of course this is s|kh'ulating in n very distanl fulun , . Tin , practical lesson of New Zealand's inability to pay at present for a share, in some effective Australasian licet is the necessity that this country should make: a beginning to meet thai, futuiw And ciHipevalion with Australia nec.d not mean co-upe.raiion in nn Australasian (loot of Dreadnoughts