NEW ZEALAND'S NAVAL POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1990, 21 February 1914, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND'S NAVAL POLICY.

REASON FOR THE CHANGE,

PRESS COMMENT;

By Telegraph—Press Association—CbDrrieM (Roc. February 20, 11.45 p.m.) London, February 20. "Tho Times" regrets the disagreement between the New Zealand Government and tho Admiralty. The change of Now Zealand's naval policy was produced through the failure of tho Home Government to provide for tho Pacific defence in a way to make New Zealand feel secure. AN AUSTRALIAN VIEW. TWO SISTER FLEETS. (Rec. February 21, 0.40 a.m.) Sydney, February 20. Apropos of New Zealand's note to the Admiralty on naval matters, the "Sun's" Melbourne correspondent remarks on the fact that next ye*ar or early in the following year thero will be within the South Pacific' another light cruisor. Moreover, it would bo tlio beginnings of what must inevitably be a rapidly-developed New Zealand Navy, and, therefore, another reason why Australia should not depart from the plans and recommendations to lay down a fourth cruiser. Australians would wish Now_ Zealauders the best of luck in the initiation of a local navy, and await the moment when they could salute New Zealand's cruiser. Negotiations would still'require to bo put through before the Dominion's vessel was ordered, but now that tho Massey Government had declared for a local navy policy it was only a matter of time for the two sister fleets to manoeuvre together in tho South Seas. Ultimately tho two naval stations, would bo linked as one. With the opening of the splendid new Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay early next year it seemed a suitable timo for renewal of the invitation to New Zealand to send boys to be trained as naval officers. Although the actual inauguration of the New Zealand Navy Etill denonded largely on the Imperial Defence Conference early next year, the main fact, that New Zealand had declared she must havo modern cruisers in her waters, and would see she got them, had to be considered in' connection with tlio Australian shipbuilding programme.