AUSTRALIA’S BURDEN.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 74, 4 April 1913, Page 5

AUSTRALIA’S BURDEN.

DEFENCE OF THE PACIFIC. THE SECOND DREADNOUGHT. [By Electric Telegraph— Co.-va:. iiri [United Press Association.] Sydney, April 3. The Melbourne correspondent or the Sua, commenting on the decision to construct a second Australian Dreadnought, says that the Royal naval fleets in Australian and China waters Have, owing to tiro concentration in the North Sea during the last two years, dwindled to mere shadows of their former glory. Only six vessels now remain to cross the Tasman Sea on July 1, the date of Australia’s assumption of the complete responsibility for tire Australian station, and out of the six, the Fantome and Sea Lark are merely survey ships, and unarmed. The four lighting ships are the Cambrian, Pyramus, Psyche and Torch, of which three are \ ery near the scrapping stage. Apparently the Admiralty 7 intends Australia to assume practically the whole responsibility of local defence in the Southern Pacific. This view is strengthened by the fact that the naval base at Auckland is poorly equipped, and that no measures have been taken to prepare it for the powerful navy contemplated for New Zealand waters by the Naval Conferences of 1909 and 1911. Had the Admiralty kept to the old policy, the battle cruiser New Zealand would be permanently stationed in the Pacific, but since that vessel is required in the North Sea it becomes imperative for Australia to build a second Dreadnought.

-TRUE IMPERIALISM.” London, April 3. At the Colonial Institute luncheon, Mr Watt (Victorian Premier) in his remarks, went on to say that he thought the Dominions of the Empire should have offices located centrally in London, where their resources should be displayed. He hoped that the Empire Trade Commission would find means.to improve inter-imperial trade without violating the political views of the different parts. Its labours would perhaps result in the creation of a permanent body that would help to guide trade between kith and kin. While it war i mportant to know whether the A..,>tralian and Canadian navies were to be locally controlled or by the Admiralty, it was .more important to know that ships were being built, and that when their guns spoke it would bo in defence of British interests. Ho trusted that diverse opinions over the question of control would disappear when co-operative action was neces-

sary.- ■ ■' The speech had an excellent reception.

Lord Frnmott said that Mr Watt f speech was instinct with true Imperialism. The virile people of Australia were working out great economic problems and problems of federalism which might help Britain in the future.