AUSTRALIAN POLICY.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1924, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN POLICY.

Slill’S AND AIRCRAFT. SYDNEY. .May I. The outstanding effect of liie vis:t to Australia of the Special Service Squadron is a greatly .stiimdaieil interest iu defence mutters. Sir Frederick field lou no opportunity of impressing upon the public the urgent necessity of its great a measure of naval .--elf-reliance its pe. ible. ami Mih.-.e-qitent utterances by the Prime .Mittisjor (Mr Brute), the Minister for Defence (Mr Bowden) and others make it clear that the lessons which the Admiral sought, to drive home have been taken l i heart. -Mr Bruce, at the week-end, made rather an ambiguous pronouncement indicating that lie would shortly bring down a defence programme tlmt would “divide the country from end to ••ml.” He rein.irked that healed controversy for and against the n r.ipo-a!.- were inevitable. but that in one speech be would place the whole of the Luts before the people mi that in whatever views the people took they would at least have the fullest possible information of the needs of lln' times, and of the tlovernmeat's intentions townid; meeting them. This was generally taken to mean that important new proposals hitherto unsuspected were pet.ding. b;i! Mr Bowden, in discussing the matter on Tuesday, did much to remove ibis impression, and indicated that the programme would be a co-ordination of various proposals tlmt have been known or hinted at for some lime. Briefly there are that there will he two peiv cruisers within the next three years, one lo he purchased in England and the other lo he built at (‘orkatoo Island. Sydney—the Federal Constructional shoos; and thereafter a new cruiser every three years; giving four in a period of nine years; two now cruiser submarines; a seaplane ha-e in

Sydney Harbour and a new aeroplane base near Melbourne: an increase iu the naval personnel to prepare lor the commissioning ”1 the new cruisers, pos-

sililv seaplane bases at Albniiy-and in tlio north ; a l'u<*l 1 i ll ti base in tin* north—Darwin Inis been suggested fur this itiirp-.se; and the reorganisation of tlie cxisitng munition works. That. ’ for Australia, is a big programme, the initial expenditure being estimated at about £7,(X):>.(t:X>. whielt includes £-!.- 0011.000 for two eruisers. £1 .ODD.OOt) for air I'orec and £OOO,OOO for the two .suhmnrines. Mr liowden points out any more hasty eonstruetion programme would he ill-advised on aeeount of the rapid changes that are taking place in naval architecture. A comparison of the Hoed and the Australia. In* says, gives sain*' indication what changes nmv he expected. Thirteen years ago the Australia represented the last word in naval architecture, anti cost two millions; to-day they had the Hood costing eight millions. Mr Bowden says that it is an-

ticipated that the programme will he carried out without involving any additional taxation.