The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, APRIL 26th, 1921.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” TUESDAY, APRIL 26th, 1921.

NAVAL DEFENCE. Bkkohic leaving New Zealand, speaking of the coming imperial Conference, Mr Massey said that one of the most important matters to he discussed, would be that of naval defence, especially in the Pacific. There were people who said the next storm centre would he the Pacific. Whether this would he so he did not protend to say but we would have to go through another war. It might not ho for ten, twenty, or forty years, but it would most assuredly take place, and it behoved the Empire to lie ready for it when it did come. He was not going to commit the country to heavy expenditure on anything that could he avoided, hut the time was coming when we must assist the l nited Kingdom in keeping up an Imperial Navy. As lar as the Government’s policy was concerto d New Zealand would do her lull share in the maintenance of the Imperial Navy. I here should be general agreement with this dciensi\e policy. Whether the Pacific will be the storm centre or not. matters little. Experience has shown that when war happens, all ocean highways arc in danger, and as the Empire depends so much on the ocean highways for its existence, it is for all parts of the Empire to unite in common action to secure the defence of the Empire- along those lines, .lust how this vital matter is viewed elsewhere is interesting, and it is worth recording the views lately expressed by the Sydney Bulletin, which summed up the question in the following few sentences: “At the coming conference in London any chance to co-operate at sea with Britain should he taken unhesitatingly. If it is a question at home of cutting down luxuries and increasing taxation in order to meet the hill, such stops ought to be taken. In fact, if it is a question of do ing away with many things that are now looked upon as necessaries, and of taxing ourselves as drastically as the British are taxed, we should hasten to do it. In order to issuro against some-, tiling many degree worse than a switt clean death no imaginable cash premium is too high.” These remarks are as definite as Mr Massey's and in respect to the latter’s in particular, it would not he surprising if the Prime Minister did not imbibe his views from those l of Lord Jellieoe, who is an authority ready at hand in this country to have consulted. Mr Massey would he wise indeed to have consulted Lord Jellieoe as to the best form of naval policy for New Zealand, and to shape the country’s defence policy to that expert’s suggested line of action. The cable now’s of late Inis hints as to what Japan and America are doing, and however friendly Great Britain may be with those conditions, it would not lie politic for one, certainly for both, to outship tho British Empire in naval strength. In the past the oversea Dominions have leaned heavily on Great Britain and the British taxpayer for the means of naval defence. That time is past for two cogent reasons. In the iirst place Britain is in the throes of great financial stringency as a result of her mighty effort in the war. and in the second place the Dominions are now unjoying the status of independent countries should do something practical for their own defence yet co-or-dinated with the high sea command of Great Britain. Capital ships are needed and the Dominions must contrive to do their share in supplying tho demand. The Empire must stand four square on the defence question. Every one wants peace of course, hut to quote the Sydney Bulletin again in conclusion, “is it possible to have it with- j out not merely armaments, but extensive armaments?” The answer to that is the attitude and building policy of both Japan and America.