OUR DREADNOUGHT,

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 27, 29 May 1912, Page 6

OUR DREADNOUGHT,

THE RECENT OFFER,

For general information the follow ing correspondence is published in th latest Gazette: —

Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, May 21st, 1912

The following correspondence is pub Mailed for general information, at th request of His Majesty's Priucipa Secretary of State for the Colonies. THOMAS MACKEiN ZIE, Prime Minister. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Wei lington. 18th April, 1912. Memorandum.—l have received tin following telegram from the Righ, Hon. the Secretary of State for tin Colonies:— "In the event of increases to th: Naval Programmes of European Powers being announced as now seems im minent, and likely interests of British Naval supremacy would make it desirable that battle cruiser New Zea land should instead of serving ir. China be appointed to Home Fleet for service in North Sea where alom she could be matched against vessel; of her size and quality. If your Government approve of this arvangemeni Admiralty will send at once armourec cruiser Defiance, sister of the Minotaur, to the China Station, thus effectively securing British preponderance in those seas, and will arrange that the New Zealand should visit Dominion in October to make a three months' stay including Christmas, 1912, in New Zealand ports before taking up her duties with the Horn; Fleet.—Harcour t." ISLINGTON, Governor. His Excellency the Governor, Auckland. 20th April, 1912. Government approves of proposals contained in telegram from Secretary of State for the Colonies, and considers thai H.M.S. New Zealand should be stationed wHiere Home Government consider her service of the most value. THOMAS MACKENZIE, Prime Minister. The Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. Bth May, 1912. Memorandum.—l hare received the following telegram dated 4th May from the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies : "His Majesty's Government desire mo to convey through you to your Ministers our deep gratitude and high appreciation of patriotic action of New Zealand Government in accepting so readily the suggestion of Admiralty in the interest of the Empire at large. —Harcourt." ISLINGTON, Governor.