NAVY LEAGUE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 143, 12 March 1919, Page 7

NAVY LEAGUE

ANNUAL MEETING OF WELLINGTON BRANCH ■ I THE MEANING OF SEA POWER The annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Navy League was held in the Chamber of Commerce hall . last night." Mr. J. P. Luke, Mayor of Wellington, was in the chiar, and there was a good attendance of members, including many ladies. ' The annual report of the committee (already published in The Dominion) was read by the honorary secretary, Mr. G. Shallcrass, And adopted. The honorary treasurer, Mr. 15. Dnrloch, stated that the branch had closed the year with a sum of .£822 12s. 10d. in hand, as against ,£l3l 95.. Bd. at the beginning of the year. The total receipts for the year had been i'2l3G 6s. lid. The King George's. Fond had a present bank balance of £1253,' while a sum of £6\% bad been remitted to London. The Mayor said the war had shown the. supreme importance of the Navy. The fleet had played just as important a part in Securing victory as the Army, and lie could not say too much in praiae of the officers aud men of the Navy. -. New Zealand boys had' served in many sea? during the war, and he believed that their sphere of service would be (even wider, in the years to come, The 'freedom of tho sens had become an obligation of tho British Empire.' He did not believe that Britain would surrender its naval predominance, whatever might be done by the Peace Conference, and New , ' Zealand, as a part of the Empire, must bear its. share of the burden of naval responsibility. Mi , . Luke mentioned the fine work of the men of the mercantile marine, and said that the conditions under which these men did their work ought to be improved. (Applause.) He hoped that one outcome of the war was going to be'better provision for the sailors, whose courage and . endurance had made, it possible for British ships to hold the seas; during the years of the war. In conclusion, Mr. Lulco paid a tribute to the work done by the esecvr tive of the branch and by,the Ladies' ■ Auxiliary. . ' , " Mr. H. F. von Haast said he was very glad that the branch had a good balance in hand. The league must redouble its efforts in ,the future, and must be prepared to consider any suggestion that the downfall of Germany would justify the reduction of naval strength. There was much to be done.' New Zealand ought to make an increased contribution to the naval strength of the Empire, and ought to assist in the establishment of a Pacific , fleet. ,The interests of the Empire in the Pacific must' not be dependent. in the future on Japan or any other country. Mr. von Haast suggested that a portion of the league's balance should be spent on propaganda work, particularly among school.children.' The British Navy was the true guardian of the freedom ot the , seas,' and that position must be maintained. ■ ■ , : ~ Other /sneakers emphasised the, importance of work among' the children.The following officers were elect-ed-.-Patron, His Excellency the Governor; president, the Mayor of ■Wellington (Mr. J. P- , Luke); vice-nresidents, the Right Hon. W. i'. Massey, Sir Joseph Ward,- Sir Robert Stout, Sir William Frassr, Sir Walter Buchanan, Sir John Findlay.the Hon. A. M. Mvers, the Hon. T. M. Wilford, the Hon/J. G.-W. Aitken,'Messrs. J. B. ■ Harcourt, J. P. .Firth, and G. Shirtcliffe, and the chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board; executive, Messrs. J.B. Har-court,-A.-Atkins, C. R. Smith, R; DarToch, G. Shallcrass, A. F. Wiren, C. W. Palmer, B. Keesing, C. W. Chilinan, T. Burt, and S. H. Underwood, Colonel G. F. C. Campbell, Colonel A. F. Roberts, .and Captain Chudley; honorary secretary, Mr. R. Darroch. . :■ . The meeting recorded its appreciation of the work done by the retiring honorary secretary,: Mr. G. Shallcrass, who had retired at his own instance -. on account of business engagements. Mr. Shallcrass, in returning . thanks, J eaid the league wae doing work of very ; great importance and was. assisting to kesD the bonds of Empire firm and strong. The Wellington branch had grown- considerably during his period, of office,, the membership having- trebled. , He hoped-that its progress would be con- ( tinued. ■■

■Mr. Darrooh said that the league could claim a part of the credit for the efficient etate of the British Navy at the outbreak of war. It must be prepared to face the "little navy" agitation again ill tho future.

Mr. Shallcrass was elected a life meml>er of the league. •■■ ■ A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mrs. Hall-Thompson and the other members of the Ladies' Auxiliary.

Colonel Campbell moved: That this meeting of the AVellington Branch of the. Navy League ten'ders its sincere tribute of admiration and gratitude to the officers and men of the Royal Nary and the mercantile marine for their loyalty, , devotion, zeal and spirit of sacrifice to their ' King . and the Empire during the great war. Colonel' Campbell 6aid that the Bri- • ,ish Navy had saved the Empire and upheld the cause of freedom again. Tho lesson of the value of seVpower ought to be impressed upon every man,, woman, and child in the Empire. A great deal had been said of the. "freedom of the seas." Britain stood for the freedom of the seas in time of peace and for the right to safeguard British interests on the seas in time of war. Germany had never proposed- the "freedom of the land." Her armies were to liavo the right, to cut land communications/ cross borders, and starve provinces and cities. But Germany had talked of the "freedom of the seas," meaning that British' sea power was not to be used un the sea in the way Germany proposed to use land power ashore. 'The league fight propaganda of that sort, no matter whence it came. Colonel Campbell urged that every sailor on board a , British ship should be a. British sailor, and th<it British goods should b» carried in British ships. Better provision should be made for the welfare of the men of the mercantile marine. :' . ' The motion was seconded by Mrs. Hall Thompson 'and carried. TO ASSIST THE FISHING INDUSTRY • —-——» EECOMMENDATIONS BY ME, ATSOK. By. Teleßraph—Press Aeaooiation. Auckland, March 11. Giving evidence before- the Northern ■Fisherins Commission,' Mr. L. V: Ayson, Chief Inspector of Fisheries, said'that for the purpose of assisting the present fishermen and encouraging more fishermen to engage in fishing lie made the following recommendations:—(l) That the Government advance money to fishermen fo- the purchase of boats and fishing outfits; (2) insurance of fishermen's boats bv the State; (3) erection of fish-chilling and ice-mnking plants in the outlying parts of the coast, so ns to prevent loss of fish during warm weather, and ensure all fish Teaching the market in perfectly fresh condition; (-1) admitting all fishing nets, netting twine, fishing hooks and lines, and all Mine gear into the Dominion free of duty; (5) encourage fishermen to go in for purse-seining by a practical demonstration of tho use of this net on the various fishing grounds around tho coast—by this method fish can be taken fji very large quantities, and at small cast in comparison to trawling; (8) giving a bonus on fish canned and cured for export, and alto on the production of fertiliser manufactured from fish offn! nnd unmarketable fish, and for tho manufacture of potash ond other products from Iceli) and'spnn-ecd; 17) that the Government assist in procuring the necessary supplies of .benzine, lubricating oil. nets, netting twine, hoofc, lines, and other material.