PREMIER'S OPINION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1554, 25 September 1912, Page 7

PREMIER'S OPINION.

'COST OP DEFENCE. , INCREASES FORESHADOWED. Questions relating to New Zealand's share in the Empire's naval schema were submitted to tho Prime Minister last evening by a deputation consistinff of deli'italei to the Navy League Conference, now sittinjr in Wellington. The dopntalion wn« introduced by Mr. G. M, Thomson, M.P., and was accompanied by .Mr. J. Crnißic, M.l\

Mr. It. D. M'Uan (tfnwke's Bay) presented a series of resolutions passed by tho conference that day. One of tho remits

put forward submitted that New Zealand S monetary contribution towards tho upkeep of the Imperial Navy was inadequate, Tho Rev. 11. ]!. Chambers fChrislchurch) said that aliout MO New Zealanders had undergone naval training on (lie ships of (his station. The training of theso ■men represented a useless oxpenso to tho country, because at the conclusion of their trafning they had been allowed to drift away, and tho whereabouts of tho great majority of them was unknown. Mr. \V. Arbor (Timarn) suggested that New Zealand's money contribution to the Imperial 'Navy might be better spent in training men. If New Zealand trained enough men to man even two ships, vliw would bo of moro value in any emergency than the present contribution of money, loss of which would not bo felt by tl'io Admiralty. \Men, not money, was the substance of what New Zealand should ccnIribule. v Mr. C. R. Smith (Wellington) wid that tho Minister for Defence was evidently seized of the various problems which had been discussed by the conference. Mr. G. M. Thomson said that they hoped that (he Education 'Department would enter into communication with the authorities at Homo with a view to obtaining pctures such as were issued to schools in England. There was little or nothing of this kind in New Zealand, but in many parts of England schools received pictures of a kind calculated to inspiro patriotism and enthusiasm. Another recommendation which, in their opinion, embodied a brilliant idea, was that the Deicnee Act should bo amended so as to give boys tho option of undergoing muting or military instruction. U was thoi.ght that it might do passive resistors good to BSiid them to sea for a fortnight. ,i r - '£? sse >' ! 011, . v for a fortnight? -Mr. Thomson: Well, to begin with.

MR, MASSEY'S REPLY. IMPORTANT STATEMENT SOON. The Prime Minister said that some of the representations made seemed to him to be very important. First of all. ho wished to say that he considered that the country owed n debt of gratitude to a fct ot gentlemen who devoted time and energy to promoting (ho Imperial spirit. lie had seen the necessity for some, time ot procuring a better and larger training ship than the Ainokura. This matter would have to he faced by the Governtnoiit in the near future. ' His attention had not hitherto been called to the ininortanco of registering possible Naval Reservists. Representations which had l>eeii made on this subject would not bo pigeon-holed. The suggestion about Imperialistic pictures concerned the Minister for Education. He would either spud an official memorandum to Mr. Allen or have the matter brought up in Cabinet. The most important proposal advanced was that in regard to increasing the contribution to (lie Imperial Naw. On this point he would remind them of what New Zealand had dono in recent years ' Up to the year lilO.'l tho annual contribution, of New Zealand to the Imperial Navy was .£20,000. ]„ ions U,e tlipn Prime. Minister asked Parliament to double the contribution, 'and it was increased accordingly to JCJO.OOO. At that total tho contribution cniitiinied until 190f> or 1907, when it was increased to JIIOO.OOO. The presentation of the Dreadnought increased the annual naval contribution of Neir Zealand to .£250,000 for tho time being. That wns the position at the moment. Inaddition to this a •system of land defence had been very successfully and satisfactorily initiated at a cost which could not be put down at less than JMOO.OOO a year. Defence was costing New Zealand approxi-. mately .£750,000 n year, certainly not less than that. People forgot that this was an important increase to make in a very few years. The increase in defence expenditure was not finished yet by a very long way. The Government realised.that the country was Imperialistic, and ho could assure tho people of the country and the members of the Navy Leaguo that they had an Imperialistic Government. When the Government had niado up its mind us to where its duty lay in connection with problems of local anil Imperial defence, it', would do its duty. Even during (ho present session the Government had been subjected Jo a certain, amount of pressure by a section of th« House which was oxeeedingly' anxious '.hat tho Government should reduce taxation. The proposals of the deputation went in the opposite direction.' He was not putting this forward as a reason why the contribution to tho Imperial Navy should not be increased.' Ho had shown that a vcrv rapid increase in defence expenditure "had taken place in recent years. As a Minister of the Crown, h» was not in a position to go into details., He would submit to Cnbinct tho representations that had been made. Una would be done at a very early dale, probably before the end of the session, so that ho would be able (o make a statement as to what the Government intended to do. It would be hardly fair on his part to- even express his own opinions until he had consulted his colleagues.