The Globe. THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1208, 17 January 1878, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1878.

We hope the Lyttelton Harbor Board will appoint the committee to report upon the defences of the Port, and that the members, both individually and collectively, will use every endeavour to bring pressure to bear upon the Colonial Government to take some active measures in the matter of harbor defence gonerally. In some quarters an impression seems to prevail that such work i-c-su-. entirely with the Imperial authorities — that colonists are perfectly justified in taking no step whatever to protect themselves. ' Those who talk in this way must be strangely forgetful of contemporary colonial history. The people of Canada, Victoria, New South Wales, &c., do not think so. The Imperial authorities, instead of resenting the efforts of colonists to defend themselves, must be greatly astonished at the careless indifference displayed by Now Zealand in the matter. The London Times, a journal which does not usually blunder on such piestions, in a recent article on colonial lefeuco, says:—“lt has long been acknowledged that for the ordinary propuefc of fcey

laud’s) colonies as are practically independent must look primarily to themselves. Against a common enemy England is clearly bound to share a common defence, but the general measures

which well established colonies take for the security of their own territory are necessarily, and rightly, left in the main to their own discretion.” The writer of the article even goes further, and discusses the question of the propriety of forming an intercolonial navy under the joint control of all the colonies needing naval defence. It is clear, therefore, what is the opinion of the authorities at home on this question. Well, what has New Zealand done in the matter of providing for her self-defence? Pratically nothing. Her Government refused even to go to the small expense of obtaining a report from a highly qualified officer, and her Premier had other use to make of the Hincmoa than permit her to be employed to convey Sir W. Jcrvois from port to port on such a service. In these circumstance are New Zealand colonists to rest quietly without making any effort to protect their property from plunder ? Because we have a Premier who prefers to employ the Hinemoa at the public expense as his own pleasure yacht to take him from port to port on his triumphal progress through the North Island, instead of in the service of the colony, arc we to remain under the imputation of neglecting a great law of nature ? Since the Government have done nothing hitherto, is no effort to be made to force them into action now? To all appearance Great Britain may be dragged into war at any moment with Russia, and were such the case, it is generally believed that an attempt would be made to enter one or other of the Australian ports, and a heavy sum be demanded as the price of freedom from bombardment. Were Lyttelton made the victim, a vast amount of damage could be done in a few hours. Apart from the buildings in the town, the Harbor Board itself has property under its charge to the value of over £200,000. Then there is the shipping also, frequently representing a large sum. Instead, therefore, of the Board being opposed in their effort to obtain some protection to this valuable property, we hope they will be strongly backed up by public opinion. When once they discover that their late conduct does not meet with public approval, the Government will willingly change their tactics. It rests with the Board to do a lasting service, not only to the port of Lyttelton, but to all the chief ports of the colony. Of course, if all their efforts fail to move the Government, it will then bo time to discuss the next step. One thing, however, is self-evident, viz., that no one would be foolish enough to stand quietly by and see his property damaged, and refuse, although within his power, to defend it, merely because he thought such was the duty of some one else.