The Dominion. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1912. THE NAVY AND NEW ZEALAND.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1532, 30 August 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1912. THE NAVY AND NEW ZEALAND.

During the past few days some striking cable messages havc_ been published upon the naval position of the Empire, and we have little doubt that they set a good many New Zcalanders thinking again of the relation of their country to the problem of Imperial naval defence. It is not so many years since few people troubled their heads very much, even at Home ; about the naval issue; but then it is only within recent years that German shipbuilding made the issue vital and urgent. \Yithin tho past two or three, years it_ has become an urgent and vital issue not simply for the people of the Unit3d Kingdom, but for the people of every portion of the Empire. There is really only one way in which the overseas dominions need look at the problem. We may leave to the experts the elusive arithmetic of comparisons between the naval forces of Britain and Germany in 1913, lail, 1915, and all the succeeding years, in the full confidence that the Admli , : alty knows the facts and that Britain will- sec that British supremacy is maintained. Nor need we trouble ourselves just yet with the working out of the last details of some scheme of Imperial co-operation. All we need to do at this time is, first, to realise that Imperial co-operation is at last plainly seen to be essential and urgent, and, second, to teacn ourselves what that co-operation will require from us. The only aiija'-i----cance, from a New Zealand point of view, of the London Times article cabled to us on Wednesday, is ■ the fact that responsible people in England no longer shy away from treating the naval problem as one involving policy and sacrifices in the colonies. Even those Liberals who are bitterly opposing a forward naval policy at Home are the duty of the dominions to shoulder some part of the burden. We declared last month, in commenting upon Mr. Ciumcuiu.'s notable speecli of July, in which he painted such an impressive picture of Germany's naval determination, that New Zealand had failed, and is still failing, in its duty. "With the gift Dreadnought still in their minds, British statesmen on both sides appear to think otherwise, assuming, doubtless, that the Ne\y Zealand Government were neither insane nor insincere in offering the ship and that therefore the gift indicated thai our country is steadily thinking a'ld planning out its course. Thu following passage in Jin. Ghi;rchilt/s speech is accordingly not wholly truo to llio facts, and it is (be business of the dominions to make it true: Tlio l«;k of iiiiiintiiiiiinj,' \he naval [Hiivci- of the Mnipiie under existing windiUqus is n heavy one. All Die world i» iteming as il lv,i.« never itrmcil before . . . Wo, have to protect from .-ilj <tmBcr or alarms dominions ruid territories sijiittiH'cd over everv continent, .iud ,i<tosJ pvw:y o<-.83,u. WeJl do wo understand tho truth a! Mr, Borden's word4-!''Th.o (

day of peril is too late fi>r prepafiitioii." J. hero is on earn.-st disposition on the part of the si'lf-fcrovei'liilis Dominions to a ; s, 'iv In tho common defence of the KmCγ 1 " 0 ' '■ i'!'' lls ?'! nc lla . s ".""' cm " c to mn,io that disposition effective. , , , ]l is "in , duty to acknowledge, the important "id already given. Th;: progress of the Australian Fleet unit is continuous, and as it develops it facilitates (he new Fleet organisation by releasing the numbers of men whom we have had to maintain in those waters for service nearer home. I havo already referral to the action of the Government'of New Zealand. New Zealand has had move than her duo shave of credit for her contributions to tho naval defence of the Empire. Canada is in a different case, and in .a very short time her Prime Minister, who has been conferring with the British Government, will announce, amidst the cheers of the great Dominion, that Canada is to assume her share of the load. What is New Zealand going to do! Is it forever to borrow millions upon to lead an easy and luxurious life! Is she to •make no real sacrifices? The other day we printed an account of the magnificent and costly, and totally unnecessary, splendours of the new post office in Auckland—that post office is a symbol of tho moral slackness produced in the nation by years of foolish and unpatriotic government. If New Zealand provided, out of its own resources, and without borrowing, a million a year for naval purposes, it would be furnishing no more per head than is furnished"' by Great Britain. Anyone can see that to provide that sum honestly a great naa,ny luxuries of different kinds would have to be given up by our people, and at the present time such a contribution is out of the question; but how many people realise that it is dishonourable not to make some selfsacrifice,! There is comfort in the thought that the other dominions will force New Zealand, by their example, to realise its responsibilities, and tho friends of political reform will expect the new Government to give the country a lead, and that with as little delay as possible.