THE GREAT NAVY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2936, 23 November 1916, Page 6

THE GREAT NAVY

WHAT IT MEANS TO THIS COUNTRY

OUR FUTURE COURSE

SPEECH BY ACTING-PREMIER

The vital importance of tho Imperial Navy to New Zealand and other important subjects wero interestfmfly touched on by tho Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. James Allen) in an address delivered at tho Conference of tho Chambers of Commerce yesteruay morning.

in the course of his address, Mr. Allen said that the chambers of commerce wore very valuable institutions especially now when we had to look to the future beyond tho war. Past experience would not be of great value as a guide for tho future, and the programme for the time to como must differ from tho programme of the past. Practical experienco had taught us what it meant to have command of tho sea, and that command was of greater importanco to the commercial peoplo than to other sections of tho community. Now Zealand's position would be indeed deplorable but for Britain's command of the sea. Ho would ask the conference to consider what would be the position after tho war in regard to naval defence. He had had tho subjects of military and naval defenco bofore him for years, and in London had discussed with tho Admiralty aud Imperial New Zealand's relation to those subjects. Somo delegates might not agreo with tho policy (then initiated) of founding a scheme which would eventually enable us to ?rovido here a means of training for mperial Navy purposes. Also, somo might not agreo with the policy of local units of an Imperial Navy. However, the fact remained that men formerly opposed to tho policy had becomo converted into believers in it through what they had soon in tho last few years.

"If we aro really to take a deep interest in naval concerns they must concern us directly and locajly. Unless we can produce local interests, wo will nover got out of our peoplo. their best support. I believe that tho Navy of tho future must bo an Imperial Navy under ono control." AVhether that control would be the British Admiralty, or a Commission or a board with Dominion representation was a question which might be left to the future. Ho felt confident that tho Dominions would havo representation, and thought that if the Navy was to be worthy of tho Empire every part of,the Empire must provide its share in men, and ultimately m ships.

New Zealand had mado a small beginning, but the effort was checked by the outbreak of war. All were proud of having given the battleship Now Zealand, of what tho ship had done, and of what had been done by a little ship which had come out here for training purposes. The moil on that little ship, operating in a dangerous sphere, had done their duty, and he hoped they would reap a reward. When we heard their whole story we would ho verj'proud of thom. Mr. Allen urged the delegates as business men to consider the policy of the futuro, and to bear in mind that the Imperial Navy of the futuro must command the sea-ways of the world, or wo would go under. For instance, if we could not ship our produce to England, England would starve and we would collapse. Our sea routes were more to us than Germany's great railways wero to Germany.

Touching on the subject of the futuro of commerce, Mr. Allen said that in the past Britain had been too easy with opponents. She had allowed others to get their hands on her trade, and to forestall her in. invention. We could not afford to go to sleep again, nor allow German scientists to supersede our own. If we were to maintain a position at the head of the world's affairs, the brains of the Empire must be used, and he hoped scientific investigation would be encouraged in every way and applied to our industries. He hoped we would not allow our enemies aud those who might become enemies to get hold of our'industries and productions. Tho great danger of the morrow might not be military "kultur," but a combination of military and commercial "kultur." We must take every caro to hold and preserve what we havo for those who succeed us; -we must not allow others to collar our industries. While ho held the idea that all commercial relations with the enemy must be now at a standstill, lie did not think that feasible for tho future. Ho did not suppose any commercial man would say that we could entirely shut outdoors to G y erman products, nor that it was wiso 'that Germany's door should be closed to us. Wo must give and take, but not as in tho past, when we did all the giving and Germany all tho taking. There was the great point. We must hold on to our own industries, but if would be to our interest to do a certain amount of trade with all the world. Concluding, Mr. Allen hoped the conference would be moved by a spirit to help the Government, who wero doing their best. The president moved that Mr. Allen should be heartily thanked for his address, aud this was carried amidst applause.