TRADE & DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1651, 18 January 1913, Page 3

TRADE & DEFENCE.

VIEWS OF MR. SPEAKER WILLIS,

N.Z, CLUB LUNCHEON,

AN INTERESTING SPEECH,

The Hon. Henry Willis, Speaker of the *e\r South Wales Legislative Assembly, Wr « rt amed at luncheon in tho I.M.C.A. rooms by tho New Zealand Club. * i? i }P n, , c - 31. Lnko presided over a lull attendance of members.' IntroUucing the guest of the day, the chairman-snid that Mr. Willis had come to New Zealand with a reputation. He had cut a very notable figure in tho political life of tho Commonwealth and of •New South Wales. Ho could tell Mr. Willis for his encouragement that this was one of tho largest gatherings ■ that had over assembled tinder the auspicos of the club. Concluding, Mr. Luke 6aid jthad just been 'hinted to him that anyono who interrupted whilo Mr. Willis was speaking would be ejected! (Laughter and applause.)' Mr. Willis said that ho felt he had come amongst people very like thoso whom he had left in Australia. Many ■ of. them belonged to Australia, and would bo wcl-

corned back when thev became tired of New_ Zealand. Mr. Willis spoke ifith admiration of the objects of tho New Zealand Club, and went' on to remark that relations with Australia, should be strengthened, particularly trade relations. New. Zealand should not seek more distant markets when markets woro available in Australia, but. should tako up the task of promoting trade relations with Australia from tho point at which it .was dropped by the lato Mr. Seddon.' Why should not. the total trade of New Zealand and Australia be ten millions, and not five millions?. It rested with NewZealand to increase the volume of trade to ten -millions., He regretted that the arrangement provisionally made .by Mr. Seddon with the Commonwealth authorities should havo been dropped by New •Zealand; Tho twelve hundred reasons which Sir George Grey had advanced 'against New Zealand entering' : into a federation with Australia had ooeh' -considerably reduced in number. New 1 Zea-

land had Gought reciprocal trado relations with Canada and South Africa, and in doing so had gone some way in the direction of federation. United defence and unity in trade,/ either by reciprocal arrangement or by intercolonial 'free-trade, would provide the essentials of federation, though New Zealand' remained a soparato Dominion. If New Zealand had entered' the Australian Federation, it would have benefited as Nov South Wales and South Australia had benefited, becaus'o a remunerative , trado would havo been. opened up. New Zealand would have been able .to .'send its goods into ' Australia duty free as though the Commonwealth were an outlying island annexed to New Zealand. The Dominion might congratulate itself upon having an 'annual trado of forty millions sterling.. Some of the Empires of Europo had less, and had a lower standard of civilisation. Tho standard of private

woaith was higher in New Zealand than even in New 'South Wales.. A wonderful development -had taken place in.the oversea dominions, but a great deal-more, might bo*done..- Now was.iho'timo when New Zealand should .sock to establish fe T ciprocal trade relations with Australia: ;!'" '.. Speaking of defence, Mr. Willis stressed the necessity hot only of a strong Imperial defence system, but of defence sjstems in Australia and. New Zealand strong, enough to meet any sudden raid by hostile forces if Great Britain should, happen'to be at

ivar. At the present, time the Northern I'crritory of Australia lay exposed to attack. Ho believed • that Australia. had taken the wrong course in connection with naval defence, and wouldhave : been wiser to do as New Zealand had done, ond con/ tinue the compact'with tho Lords'of the. Adhiiralty, so that tho whole British Navy' might be under ,n single control.. Austra-

lin, like Now, Zealand, should contribute' Dreadnoughts whenever they were required. The upkeep of Dreadnoughts would be the burden of the future.' If Great"Britain were defeated in the North' Sea, Aus,tralia. and Now, Zealand..would'inevitably. Iw captured. The oversea dominion's therefore should contribute, to the general, naval mud of tho Empire. Canada,' at the head of tlio colonies, had shown what, thought of the situation.by projecting ail expenditure of seven millions in aid of the

Imperial Navy. New Zealand had taken tho same view, and should do all it'could to induco' tlio: statesmen of Australia'-"to-adopt the only naval policy suited to thi needs'of a united nation! .'■/•' ~' -~ . , Mr. AVillis was loudly applauded as' ho concluded.