Naval Defence

Hokitika Guardian, 4 August 1922, Page 4

Naval Defence

WELLINGTON, Aug 2. Replying to a deputation from the Navy League, Sir Heaton Rhodes, Minister of Defence, recognised the need for carrying a fair share of the burden of Empire defence. lie was prepared to carry out. when the financial position improved, naval defence works, and add ships suggested hv naval experts, provided this was in conformity with the agreement at Washington. He had discussed with Commodore Holt ham the suggestion that hoys should he given a chance of heeming naval cadets, hut that officer had replied that the train- ; ing given to senior cadets was exactly | what would he given in the Navy at j that stage. I Mr Massey said he agreed with the i league's views, lie had told the Im--1 perial Conference plainly that New Zealand would do its share in the upkeep of the Empire's Navy. He could 1 not do the impossible in this time of financial difficulty, hut conditions were not always going to lie what they were at present. There were -tot) millions in the Empire, and if the Empire were not able to protect every one of its citizens it would go out of existence. The strongest factor for l> ,1, (1,,- vi,rhl to-day wii s the Rritish Empire, and the Empire depended for its existence on the British Navy If the Empire went out of existence the world would he in a sttite r.f chaos. Mr Massey also spoke of the work ol the \\ ashiugtou Conference. To him the greatest value lav not in doing away with compete tion in capital ships, but in bringing nhc.it a better understanding hetweei America and Japan, between cvet Great Britain and America, and tin bringing of France into closer touch The understanding would go a long Way towards helping the peace of tin world, lmt that did not relieve us ol our rosponsibilties. The conference had not made war impossible. “I wish to heaven it were so,” he said “No, war i s not impossible, and war uiav tome upon us very suddenly. I ho|ie it won’t. 1 would like to think that there will he no more wars for n hundred years or more, hut T am not unwise enough to shut by eyes tc facts.” There was a very large sum due to Great Britain from Germany by wav of reparation. He did not know whether they were going to got it, but if it wore forthcoming he would like to see that money used by all parts of the Empire in the defence of the Empire. lie thought eve 17 country of the Empire could manage to struggle along without it s share of the reparations, and if they did so they would have* another guarantee of peace which they hud not yet. l(e was going to do his host to give effect to the promise made, and when the time came he was going to ask Parliament to elo its duty in the way of providing its share of the maintenance of, the Empire’s Navy. What New Zealand was doing at present gave some earnest of what it was prepared to do in the future.