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Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1924, Page 2

Mit Baldwin', it is reported, created a precedent by inviting the High Commissioners for the Dominions to meet him at Downing Street in order to hear an outline of current foreign police-. The precedent evidently is of the utmost importance. The Dominions will heartily welcome and appreciate the action of the British Prime Minster, indicating. as it does, that he and bis Government are ready to offer them all possible facilities for effective consultation. Giving Mr Baldwin and his Government the credit to which they are plainly entitled, however, it may he

doubted whether in existing circumstances the advance made is of much more than formal value. We are told that it was left to the High Commissioners to communicate io their Governments such details of the British Prime Minister's disclosures “as they deemed interesting or important.” As matters stand, the High Commissioners obviously are not well placed to carry out the possibly delicate work of sifting here implied. Affairs of Imperial consultation are much too important and too exacting to bo undertaken by officials already overloaded with a mu}-

titude of duties. New Zealand manifestly needs a representative in London who could give his whole time, and attention to these affairs and to other political and diplomatic or quasi-diplo-niatie duties, such as those arising out of the Dominion’s membership of the League of Nations. There is an obvious need at this end of a Parliamentary Committee of Imperial Affairs, and of ail official secretariat which would enable the Government to maintain effective touch with its representative in London, and with the British Government. With this decree of organisation developed here and in other parts of the Empire, it would be possible for the Dominions to exchange views with the British (.’OlOllllllOlll instead of merely receiving, through their High Commissioners, an exposition of its foreign policy. The only apparent alternative is to drift along as at present, faced by a standing danger of being called upon at slant notice to form a vital decision on mime ipiestion that .is not grasped or understood.

In providing for the maintenance by this country of a second cruiser, Parliament took a step that is likely to he approved unreservedly. It is recognised generally that the Dominion is still leaning unduly on the Mother Country where naval defence is concerned, and must he prepared to hear an increasing share of the common harden as time goes on. While the maintenance of ships as the nucleus of a local squadron is a distinct advance on the ild conditions in which this country made only a monetary contribution, a beginning lim.s yet to he made in training New Zealanders for naval service. 11 has been suggested recently that a proportion of the youth of the Dominion might lie given some kind of naval training in plate of Territorial training, and the suggestion seems in every way worthy of consideration. Any scheme of naval training instituted no diitlht would have to lie voluntary, hut this matters the less since there should he little difficulty in making it popular. There is not much doubt, for 11stance, that if a few fast motor-boats and trawlers were provided at each el the principal ports of the Dominion, an auxiliary naval reserve might speedily be built up and raised to a fair pitch of efficiency. In the late war small craft played an exceedingly useful part, and the organisation of a ioeal auxiliary reserve of small craft, even on a limited scale, .should lie well woitli while. Apart from the direct pnrpc.se served, the general effect would he to popularise the idea of naval training in this country.