OUR JAPANESE GUESTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2812, 1 July 1916, Page 8

OUR JAPANESE GUESTS

The Admiral, officers,. and men' of the Japanese training squadron are most welcome visitors. The people of New Zealand arc delighted .to honour them and show them hospitality. New Zealanders esteem it a spccial privilege to havo this opportunity of being tho hosts of such a distinguished guest as Admiral Matsumura. We are glad 'to be, able to do what we .can to give expression to our appreciation of the splendid services he has rendered to the cause of the Allies in this great struggle in which_ Japan "has played, and is still playing, an extremely important part. We remember with gratitude that it was he who commanded the Japaneso squadron which assisted the British Navy in the successful performance of the difficult task of clearing the Germans out of tho naval Dascs which they held in tho '.Pacific Islands. The ' co-operation- of Japanese warships with the Australian Squadron is still fresh in our minds. Senator Pear'ce, ActingPrime Minister of the Commonwealth, recently recalled the fact that some of Japan's fighting 1 ships were close at hand when Australia's "baby navy" had its: baptism of fire. We in New Zealand remember that a Japanese squadron shared with British and Australian warships the duty of csiorting our first 'transports across the seas at a time when the possibility of attack by • marauding enemy cruisers was far less remote than it is at the present time. Events such as tnese have materially _ strengthened the ties of friendship between Japan and the British Empire. The'remembrance of them makes our welcome to Admiral Matsujiura and his squadron very cordial indeed. The' Japanese: Navv, has. done its work, in'the East and in the Pacific so thoroughly that wo.are at times apt to forget that Japan is still at war, though she may n.ot at present 1 be taking a conspicuous part in the fighting. ,In, the, course of- a speech delivered while the squadron was at Admiral Matsumura reminded his hearers that tho Japanese fleet is still keenly watching for an opportunity to' be useful. He said the mission of his squadron is to train midshipmen; "biit," ho added, ''we arc always ready to fight. ■ Therefore, if any emergency, should occur, and I find it neccssary to use my force, I shall not hesitate to meet it so long- as wo remain in these waters." But wc know that Japan is not playing a passive part in the struggle. Her arsenals have been placed at the disposal of Russia, and Japanese guns and ainmuaition. arc now helping .the Tsar's armies'to win magnificent victories in Europe and Asia Minor. _ The assistance of Japan contributed largely to the wonderful recovery of '.Russia from.the '.reverses -she'suffered last .year. It is right, and reasonable that our guests should be associated -in' our minds .with the great"'' things that', ,-i're. ii,oyy-• happening iffithcT.main: theatres' of-the-.war. "T.heir..presehce"'also, ,'rc'mipds us of .the fact. that. thej.Ja,panpse- Navy-has heon-'modelled.on British lines.- No one can .help being" favourkbly impressed by.the fine bearing of the men.'';, They evidently take a'pride '.in their .calling. They strike -one "as alert ■ and ; intelligent ' : in ■a , very high- degree. .. .The - smart: appearance of ships and men- makes one feci confident that tliey will not be found wanting whenever they may have any .fighting to do. The people of Wellington arc sincerely glad to sec them, and will heartily endorse the hope so courteously expressed by Admiral Matsumura in Melbourne, that, the good feeling existing be'tween. the Japanese and British peoples will continue and increase, and that no mistakes'will happen in tho relationships between the -two nations. _ ' ' '