THE BURDEN OF DEFENSE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10, 2 May 1914, Page 5

THE BURDEN OF DEFENSE.

SIR JOSEPH WARD AT MOSCIEL., [Peb Phes3 Association.] Dunedin, May 1. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a largo meeting at Mosgiel this evening. In tlie course of his speech he dealt with the question of quoting from articles in the Melbourne Age, which at one time supported a Commonwealth navy, to show that the burden on the Australian people was very heavy. Germany, with 80 million people, paid 18s 6d per head per annum for defence, and Australia 10s per head. He hoped New Zealand would not be rushed into a huge naval expenditure for a local navy. If we wore going on as we had been, this country would in five years be paying a million and a-half for naval and international defence. Ho also touched on the progress of the country under the Liberal Administration, and referred to the numerous measures passed by it for the benefit of all classes of the community. Sr Joseph Ward was accorded a unanimous rote of thanks and confidence.