THE NAVY LEAGUE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1930, Page 7

THE NAVY LEAGUE

ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

DUNEDIN, July 29. At the annual conference of the New Zealand Branches of the Navy League Alr J. AV. Smith, the president stressed the need for a sufficiently powerful navy to patrol the Pacific trade lanes. Air Smith said that Britain refused to believe that the virtue that had impelled her past achievements were exhausted in. the nation. Self-sacrifice could go so far as to become an inferiority complex, and it should be remembered that at least two, and probably three, othei nations had developed the converse complex of superiority. The most astounding event in the naval world was the recent conference, as the result of which it was clear that Britain had reduced herself to an inferioi position to that of the United States. New Zealand was the only real sea Dominion of the Empire and requireu nothing less than a complete unit of the Royal Navy to patrol its trade lanes.

Mr Dougall (Canterbury) also spoke strongly on the serious position the Empire had been placed in by the decisions of the Naval Conference.

Auckland remits, urging the early completion of the Singapore Naval Base, were carried, Lieutenant-Com-mander Connors pointing out that the United States had a wonderfully efficient base at Pagopago, within easy striking distance of eastern Australia New Zealand and British Columbia.

REMITS CARRIED.

The following remits were carried:— “We are of opinion that we have overstepped the margin of safety and security by the reduction of our naval forces and that the fullest provision should be made annually for maintenance and new vessels in order to maintain as fully as the treaty allows our means of naval defence, and we reaffirm our belief in the principle that this Dominion should contribute its full share towards the cost of nqval defence.”

“That New Zealand branches of the Navy League to do all in their power to encourage New Zealand boys to go to sea, either in the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy or in the merchantile marine and that steps be taken to ensure that more New Zealand boys be engaged on British vessels. It is suggested that the New Zealand Government and Now Zealand shipowners be asfyed to communicate with the conference secretary whenever a vacancy occurs, he in turn to notify the New Zealand branch es. It is also suggested that it be impressed upon the New Zealand Government beoause of New Zealand’s geo graphical position, that it is of the utmost importance that a good proportion of the Dominion’s population should be seafaring men, and that the Government should provide some training for boys who wish to join the merchant service,”