NEW ZEALAND CLUB LUNCHEON.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1654, 22 January 1913, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND CLUB LUNCHEON.

MR/WRENCH THE GUEST. i ONLY ONE NAVY OR SEVERAL? There was a fair attendance at the New Zealand Club luncheon in the Y.M.C.A. rooms yesterday, when Mr. Evelyn Wrench, honorary organiser of the Overseas Club, was the guest of the day. Air. A. It.-.Atkinson presided, and the Mayor (Mr. 1). M'Luren; uttended the luuction.

In brietiy.introducing Mr. W'reucn, tho chairman said that lie welcomed every possible' agency t'liat was likely to piomote Imperial unity. Mr. Wrencn, alter returning thanks for the welcome accorded him, said that organisations like' the New Zealand Club could do a useful work in- focussing public attention on'lmperial questions. The Imperial policy at the present' l time was very largely in the melting-pot. It wns regre.ttnblß that attempts soould be made in Canada and elsewhere to draw distinctions between, the advocates of cash contributions to the.'lmperial''Navy and those who stood for local navies. In his opinion there were as good Imperialists amongst tho-followers of Sir Wilfrid Lnurier as were to be found on the other side in Imperial politics. :As showing how the naval situation was changing, 'Mr.-Wrench said that ten years ago British warships in non-European seas .bered 160 vessels. To-day, although the dangers had increased threefold, there were only 60 or' 70 British' worships in' lion-European seas. Germany was building up. a tremendous navy,;-:and as a mere matter of. insurance, Britain'should build two vessels to Germany's one, or.at least should ensure, a. naval superiority of 60 per cent. . No one could pretend that the present naval situation, was satisfactory. Possibly the ultimate solution" would be that Great Britain would be left to guard British interests in . European waters while.-the'maintenance of naval forces in outlying seas Was left to'the overseas Dominions.' The. British Empire was'so vast that there was a great need of organisations devoted to informing people, in one part of the' Empire as to conditions that • obtained in other parts. -' 'Mr. Wrench said that ho would like to see a rule established; that'" a member of the Imperial Parliament, before attaining -Cabinet rank, should, be required to visit at .least one of the oversea Dominions. '.._ At anyrate, <somo firsthand 'knowledge of the outlying portions of the Empire l should be demanded in the case of the Secretary of-State, for the Colonies.: Exchanges'of ; visits between 'members'.of ; 'Parliament'in- the different -Dominions', would-also tend in a valuable degree.to advance the cause of Imperialism.'.: The Gorman .Navy-League to-day W'as the most powerful patriotic organisation iii the world. Anyone who had been in Germany recently could not fail to lie impressed by the tremendous change, of opinion that. had taken place, lately as a result of the activities of the German Navy League.. . <

, Tlio Overseas Club, Jlr. Wrench went on to remark, was tho strongest non-party ' patriotic. organisation in the world. It was two' years and four months old, and had 103.000; members, ; all outside the United Kingdom. Tho club - was absolutely democratic in its constitution and methods, and recognised no distinction of class. 'In his concluding remarks he described -seme- of the Activities.of. the club in Canada and in South Africa. Air.-AVrenoh was enthusiastically, applauded as he.concluded.''■'.;*