WORK OF THE NAVY

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 124, 23 February 1928, Page 12

WORK OF THE NAVY

PROTECTING TRADE ROUTES NEW ZEALAND’S NEED FLEET MORE NECESSARY THAN EVER BEFORE “The Navy League has now been in existence for 33 years,” said Sir Alexander Roberts, president of the New Zealand Naw League’s Conference, which was held yesterday. “I venture to sav that at no time has the necessity for an active league bceu greater than at present. “There are some who may not agree with mv remarks, but you must realise that nations are in a somewhat disturbed state at present. Wherever one looks there is discontent, and though it cannot be said that there are. murnmrings of war, there is certainly a great deal of uneasiness in Europe that must lead us to the conclusion that our Empire must keep up its adequate defences. We in New Zealand are perhaps more delicately situated than the people of any other part of the Empire, for we are dependent on the freedom of the seats for our communication with the rest of the Empire. We must see that our trade routes are adequately protected, and we must pay our proportion towards the upkeep of naval defences. England is. staggering under the burden of taxation and the problem of unemployment. She is seeking to reduce her expenditure, and it is in reducing her naval expenditure that the danger lies. .We are much more able to contribute per capita than are the people of the Motherland, and one of the planks of the Navy League’s platform, should be for increased contribution for Empire naval defence.” Singapore Base. The president said that he was pleased to see that the Government had seen fit tn set aside a contribution towards the Singapore Base, and he was sure that all thinking New Zealanders would support the Government in its action. From New Zealand’s point of view, the Singapore Base was an important problem, for it would have a great influence on the future peace of the Pacific. He referred to the building programmes of the United States and Germany, two nations which, in his opinion, had suffered least from . the effects of the Great War. America’s building problem gave room for serious thought, but, fortunately, during the past few davs, it had been seen that she intended to modify her plans. From Germany one heard rumours of a greJt increase in naval armaments. However, our engineers were fully alive to that fact, and the speaker was sure that they would see that Britain’s Navy was as efficiently equipped as that of any other nation in the world. Reference was also made to the Government’s action in arranging for the extension of the Royal Naval Reserve to Wellington. Christchurch, and Dunedin, where he felt certain that the branches of the league would be delighted to render any assistance in their power to forward the interests of the reserve, and to help the officers commanding it.