THE PRIME MINISTER ATPARNELL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2325, 5 December 1914, Page 8

THE PRIME MINISTER ATPARNELL

NAVAL DEFENCE MATTERS A FINE RECEPTION ~~ ■-.'■■ ■■;.■■■■ •■ -"-w (By Toleerash.—Prese Association.) ■■'■■■■- -Auckland, December 4. The Prime Minister addressed .■. a crowded meeting in Parnell to-night receiving an ovation on rising to speak. Mr. Masse; said the proposal of Sir J. 6. Ward .to. admit certain cheap classes of .'clothing.free of duty, .if lie was returned to power, iliroatened disaster to the woollen mills of New Zealand and their thousands of employees.; "I don't go to extremes in Free-trade or Protection," declared Mr; Massey. 'He did not believe Parliament would agree to such a thing. ' Naval Defence. ..So far ss naval defence in the Pacific was concerned, Mr. Massey declared that the; naval defence■of these waters was insufficient. (Hear, hear;) German- ships were in the Southern Pacific and unfortunately they were still afloat. Hβ hoped to hear before lons that they had met the fate of the Emden. (Hear, hear.) ,We had no ships capable of dealing with German ships and our people owed a very deep debt of gratitude to Australia. When the history of the ,war came to be written people would understand (which he thought they did ' not fully understand at ■ present) the- serious . ' danger they- had. been in. By the naval agreement the New-Zea-land went. Home, and two' Bristol cruisers, like tho Sydney and three>6ubmarines and destroyers were to come here. The. agreement • was perfectly good, but it was not adhered to. The Psyche and Pyramus were sent here, and they wero good enough in their way, but they were not fighting ships. He had come into contact with tho officers during the time danger existed. It was not .for nothing that the transports were recalled to Auckland recently, and it was not for nothing that the coastal lights were put out. '• He could not go-closer to it than that. • 'There were not-better officers in the British Navy than those on the ships here. (Cheers.) Those men could have tackled the German ships with smiles on their faces and jokes on their lips, but the probability was that they would' never have come back. Some were sanguine that' this -would be the last war,'but .there was still danger from other, coiintriee, and. we ought to profit by the lessons, of the present war. It would be criminal folly not to do so. A Naval Conference? Continuing, Mr.. Massey said he waa not at all certain that a Naval Conference would not be held before the end of the war.. It would be for the purpose of considering .the question of the naval defence of the Pacific. He thought Australia, Canada, New Zealand; South 'Africa, and Britain itself should join '. to,' place ships in the • Pacific , sufficiently powerful to dear with , any fleet that might come along for many years to come. (Cheers.) They could: not. .do. that without cost. At the present time they, wero paying £140,000 per annum interest and sinking, fund on -the Dreadnought, and £100,000 per annum as- a contribution to the Admiralty, out of which would come tho cost'of maintenance of the Philomel.; New Zealand, for all time, should remain'one of the Dominions of the Empire. (Applause.) The Minister of Defence, when he went Home, asked' tho Imperial authorities to send out-two ships previously agreed upon, offering ■ another £50,000 by .way of subsidy. The authorities said they could not spare the ships. Well, it would rest at that, but'he wanted to impress. on the people the necessity of avoiding the trouble and humiliation that, had beenr -experienced of late through'haying-nothing fit to protect our'coasts. '•'.■' >■ ■ .■"■'-■ Our Land Defences. In regard to land defence the present system was working very well 1 indeed, but he thought'that certain improvements would be made. Politicians and candidates for Parliament had been going round the country, claiming that thev had had something [to do with the passing. of the Defence Act. As Leader of the Opposition at the time, the Ward Government was< in power ho claimed credit for ■ being the first member of the House to move a resolution in 1909 in favour of the present ■ system of compulsory military '. training—not compulsory service. The Prime Minister read the resolution he moved, and said that the then Prime Minister had opposed the introduction of such a system. , • Of course, politicians wero privileged to change their minds occasionally. (Laughter.) As New Zealanders, they-were all proud of the fact that New Zealand had lived up to her traditions. .The parties joined for the purpose of assisting the Empire in the crisis. (Applauße.) : : ' Mr. Massey accepted a,statement to , the "Star" regarding the ostrich farm. He : added that a previous article suggested that-he took a hand in borrowing money and that he waa at the head of affairs when the money was borrowed. As a matter of fact, £10,000 was borrowed' before he came into office. He had nothing to do with it. The value of the land would not bp increased one farthing_ by the Che, as it had railway communication on the main:

line already. A .letter he had from tlie Public Trustee showed that the original loan of £10,000 was granted years ago, and that so far as. he (the Public Trustee) knew , no political influence had been used by. Mr. Massey or anybody else. The Trustee's Office considered the investment sound and satisfactory. ■ ," : At tho conclusion of the'meeting a motion of thanks and confidence was carried by an overwhelming majority.