H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8348, 7 February 1913, Page 6

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

The historic gatherings that have taken place at - Portsmouth this week for the inspection of his Majesty’s battleship New Zealand are naturally giving rise to much enthusiastic comment all over tbe Empire. Nor do we imagine for a moment that the unique event escapes observation abroad. It is indeed an epochal occasion in tha development of our great and glorious Empire, and is likely to mark something of a turning point in the relations of the Mother Country and her wide Dominions oversea. That the first free contribution of a battleship to the British navy should have come from the most distant and one of the smaller of those Dominions serves to emphasise the fact itself. It helps, too, a may trust, to further impress upon foreign nations the significance of the iff and the truth it impresses of the Empire’s solidarity. We need not concern ourselves with tho differences of opinion we may hear as to whether H.M.S. New Zealand should bo stationed in the Pacific or the Atlantic, the Mediterranean or the North Sea. The better part for the people of this dominion is to remain quite detached from any such controversy, thus accentuating tho important circumstance that we have made a free-will offering, placing the now and powerful warship at the unreserved disposal of tho British Admiralty. Very fittingly, Sir Joseph Ward, whose foresight, statesmanship, and Imperialism led him to make the gift on behalf of New Zealand is now in England and was able to accompany King George on tho occasion of his Majesty’s inspection. A good deal of surprise was felt in Now Zealand that no mention of the late Prime Minister’s name occurred in tho cabled report of the earlier function. That, however, was the High Commissioner’s gathering, and it may be that Mr Mackenzie and Mr Allen concluded that they were entitled to monopolise the limelight on that occasion. However, tbe greater distinction of accompanying his Sovereign was, after all, reserved for Sir Joseph, so that honour is done to whom honour is due. Tbe order of preference in which tho names >f those present are given in our cable news to-day indicates in some measure low greatly honoured a guest was Sir Joseph. This was a tactful and pecuiarly appropriate arrangement, which we feel assured the people of the Dominion as a whole will cordially appreciate. In the whole of Sir Joseph Ward’s long and devoted service to his Empire and country the presentation of this battleship will always stand out as a conspicuous example of courage and loyalty. The dark clouds hanging over our naval horizon at the time have happily passed away. We devoutly hope that H.M.S. New Zealand may never be called into battle, but if that eventuality should arise there must be inspired in the hearts of every Now Zealander a feeling of just pride in tho circumstances of her existence, / ,