IMPERIAL DEFENCE PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1694, 10 March 1913, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE PROBLEM.

SOUTH AFRICA'S POLICY. VIGOROUS DEBATE. THE NAVAL COMBINATION. By Telegraph—Proas Association— Oopyrlcht Cape Town, March 7. Considerable feeling was aroused during the debate on the naval defence question, nnd therp was much discussion on the apparent inconsistency in the Hon. J. W. Salter's and General Botha's speeches. Mr. Sauer said he feared that the contributions to the Navy from the different parts of the Empire were not wholly spontaneous. He doubted if South Africa could follow Canada's policy of having a Minister on the Council of Defence. He felt that South Africa must do' something to protect her t«ade routes. He pointed out that South Africa had contributed „£93G,000 to the British Navy , apart from half a million aunually in the form of preferential duties. It was the primary duty of the country that wanted this protection from the Empire to find the means. The increase in British and Ger-. man armaments was absolutely wicked, and'any encouragement in that direction would be unfortunate.

Mr. Fichardt, an Orangian member, contended that South Africa's present contribution was much too high. Ho asked whether in the negotiations a lino on General Botha's or Mr. Sauer's speech would be followed.

General Hertzog described the Empire as a sort of alliance of all Dominions under Great Britain. He considered that the protection of trade was the first duty of the carriers of that trade,.and the defence of the country was the first essential of South Africa. He' doubted whether the community had money enough to make a substantial gift. He vehemently protested against General Botha going to England. The Government should first formulate proposals, and submit them to the House, and then negotiate with England.

The Hon. F. S. Malan, Minister, for Education, pointed out that tho Imperial Government spent hundreds of thousands in the Union, and the question was' whe- v ther the Union should take over these works: It was impossible to decido a policy without discussion with tho Imperial ti Government. — , d DEFENCE MINISTER GOING TO \ LONDON. o (Rec. March 9, 5.5 p.m.) ' Capetown, March 8. The battleship New Zealand has ar- ' rived at Durban. General Smuts (Union Minister for I Finance and Defence) sails about June, a and will consult with the Imperial authorities on the naval defenco question, t . t CANADA'S NAVAL POLICY. ' c PROLONGED SITTING OF THE. c HOUSE. Ottawa, March 7. The House has completed 100 hours' sitting on tho naval policy. All records have been broken. An adjournment is not now expected till midnight on Saturday. Mem- t bers aro sleeping on 'the benches. i (Rec. March 9, 5.5 p.m.) Ottawa, March 7. ' During tho course of the naval debate ] Mr. Geo. Graham, formerly Minister for j Railways, declared that the present Borden policy was the result of a doublebarrelled conspiracy to injure tho Aequith Government, and quoted Mr. J. Norton Griffith, Conservative member for Wodnesbury in the -British House of Commons, to show that Canada had decided to offer three Dreadnoughts in order to make it plain that Mr. Asquitli was not doing his duty, by the British Navy. 1 SITTING ENDED. (Rec. March 10, 0.55 a.m.) ' Ottawa, March 9. The sitting of the House ended at midnight, after lasting 123 hours. A feature of the closing debate was Mr. William German's attack on the federation of .the Empire, in which ho declared that the Canadians did not favour it. "NEITHER MEN NOR STOMACH." ENGLAND'S ATTITUDE CRITICISED. London, March 8. The "Manchester Guardian" declares that while sparsely-peopled Australia has established national service, and Canada has assumed the defence of her coasts,and frontiers, thickly-peopled England has neither men nor stomach for a like task, but prefers to shout at football matches, eat sweets, and sit in picture palaces.