DEFENCE OPERATIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 127, 4 May 1885, Page 2

DEFENCE OPERATIONS.

SOME of our contemporaries express the belief thai the present offensive and cloffonsive operations, being so vigorously pushed forward, are more"the outcome of the financial difficulties of tho present administration than of any real necessity for protection m the event of war with a foreign power. T,he Napier Telegraph is of this way of reasoning, and commits itself to the following observations on the subject of defences : — " AYe have a fortress-making Governor, and a Ministry m office who are rescued from a dilemma by this cry of war. Fresh taxation this session was a necessity, most people could see it was ncce-iury last session, and to avoid the unpopularity at-

t-fiching to a fresh demand on the pockets of (he taxpayers, tlio Vogcl-Stout combination were glad of anything that would give them a shadow of excuse for proposing the taxation, outside of the ordinary cause, that income and expenditure could not be made to meet, and hence when the House meets the reason that will be given will be that additional burdens wore rendered necessary because of the necessity of putting us m a fit state to face the improbable appearance of a' hostile cruiser. We strongly believe that the defences would never have been undertaken" wore m not that the Ministry wished to cover their ignominious retreat from the position they took up last year that fresh taxation was not necessary, and now when they find it necessary they arc glad of an excuse which will hide the financial bungling m reducing the property tax, and hence the eagerness displayed m the matter of placing our four principal forts m a state of defence. Of course spending the money m those places at. present is very popular, because with the exception of Wellington none of them are over prosperous. The spending of the money is not only popular, but it serves to detract attention from the failings of a combination that were not likely to give satisfactionl^ to the' colony long, and at the same time it will easily purchase the votes of city members, as m view of the popularity of the spending policy among their constituents the members will not care to run" counter to those whom they represent. jThcre may be a certain sub-stratum of 'jtrujjh. and fact m our contemporary's premises; but still we contend that leaving our sea-ports entirely unprotected, was simply courting invasion from hostile cruisers or privateers, and it is quite poss ible that the very fact of our having set I on foot the defence of our chief seaports may have the effect of preventing any ves- | sels on plunder bent" visiting our shores at all.