SIR J. G. WARD AND THE NAVY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2298, 4 November 1914, Page 7

SIR J. G. WARD AND THE NAVY

MR. R. A. WRIGHT SUMS UP THE POSITION. ,'■ ■ Mr. It. A. Wright, speaking last evening. at Wadestown,'alluded.to Sir Joseph Ward's explanation of tho attitude of the Liberal Party to the Navy, and characterised it as being wholly inconsistent with the national security. Sir Joseph-Ward rejoiced over the fabt that .''New Zealand had been responsible with the assistance of the Austra-' lian and French -warships in securing Samoa." That' was all very' well, but had this country possessed what the Opposition had ridiculed as a "tin-pot'' novy, the Australian and French vessels could have devoted their undivided energies to hunting down hostile crafb in the Pacific. Sir Joseph Ward was quite right in advocating the concentration of the British'.fleet in the North Sea, but how did ho reconcile that with his plea for the presence of sels .of the Royal Navy in New Zealand waters?. He was astounded when he read that the Leader of ■ the Opposition bad said:' "Had this arrangement (Sir Joseph ■ Ward's arrnngomont with the Adriiiralty in 1909)/ been carriod out we would have had a' portion of the British fleet in New Zealand waiters when; hostilities -'broke out, which would certainly have made'us all feel more certain as to'the safety of the men who had loft our shores'." Hero is. Sir Joseph Ward; proposing iri one breath that portion of-the British, floot should bs permanently in New Zealand waters, and a moment beforehand recognising; what every 'sane -politician recognised, that the Howe fleet must .remain intact in the North Sea. 'The policy of the Leader-of the Opposition was a hope-: lessly.' confused one.. If this counti-y was not able,'as Sir Joseph Ward allegedthat.it was not,,to bear the cost of a local riavy for the safety of our shores, it must be-recollected that for 21/ years up to 1911 Liberal Governments'- hadvbeen in power,, and their financial administration liad been characterised- by gross mismanagement and wilful waste, and had lain like an incubus on tho;nation...The question, was ah 'extremely serious 'one/ and it .'.was pathetic to find the Leader of tho Opposition. professing -to believe that NewZealand, the most flourishing, and certainly' not. the least' patriotic, of tho. oversea Dominions/ was incapable .or unwilling to bear its'full sharo of the burden of national defence.