DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1454, 31 May 1912, Page 6

DEFENCE.

THE COST UNDER-ESTIMATED. ECONOMY MT'ST BE EXERCr.SED. II is a mailer of coneicU'rablp Rrotificalion tluit the ref-isl ration uf 'JYvrilorinls ami their assembling on parade pro inula and attendance in camps have been accomplished so successfully. v p),e %ures for the four centres, Auckland Wellington, Canterbury, and Otajjo, give tht- following results:— Territorial?. Senior Cadets Re- fjnXow sen- gistereil eluding intf muk-r for en- those 21 years. rolmciii. smiiiK) Totals Auckland 1.1i1.'l . r i."7B 7.117H N,(i!iil Wellington 1,1(51 li,7:U !l,!Cil IhYis Cnntci'lnny 1,.V1i: 5.1 ns 7,121 n., N^ Otasu 1,!i(i!l ■!, III! (i,2IS !2,:i27 ti/mn 22.227 :in.7ot wiio The oofl of the defence s''.'tom, hn-a-. ever, is much greater thaa Vas espsot. .

I ed, ami has exceeded the estimate of Lard Kitchener.' i\'o more than the amount, recant mended by him should be spent, but at the same limn tho cl'luiency of tho forces must be maintained, and tho Government will do everything in its power to see thai nothing is done to retard the progress of the scheme under fh.e present capable commandant. Economy must be exercised, however, where it can bo ell'ectei! without doing injury to the .system; and the Government is at the present time going into the whole question of the financial side of this great scheme with the object of obtaining efficiency with due economy. Tho Dreadnought. In 100!), at a time when the question of ariuaineiit.s in Europe was creating serious apprehensions, Sir .10.-eph Ward, who wa> (licit Prime .Minister, on bclialf of the Government and people, uH'crcd lo the ]iritisli Government a Dreadnought for the defence of the Empire, Within the la-t few weeks tiie llritish Government have asked the Government to apjnovc of the ship, which was al,that lime presented lo the Xavy, being stationed for service ill the Xorlh Sea instead of tho original intention of placing her on the China Station. This, as you are aware, tho Government at once readily acceded 10, feeling sure that not only the best interests of Xew Zealand would bo conserved in tlii way, but that they were expressing in a tangible manner She wishes of the people of tiie Dominion. This request is contemporaneous with a movement, for increase-! armamanls in the .Home waters of the European Powers that are concerned with the naval strength of Great Hrilain, and it. is great satisfaction to llio Government to know that (lie gift of 11)0.9 lias nonproved to be a real help and support to the Empire at a time of pressure.