BIGGER THAN LIZZIE.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 218, 19 October 1916, Page 6

BIGGER THAN LIZZIE.

GIGANTIC NEW BATTLE CRUISER LARGEST VESSELS AFLOAT. '. SENATOR DE LARGIE AND CONSCRIPTION. The fact that the Parliamentary delegates were able to travel round the world entirely on British soil or in British ships was one of the most impressive features of the recent visit to England, outstanding in the mind of Senator the Hon. H. de Largie, of West Australia, who was interviewed by an "Auckland Star" reporter prior to his departure last evening. * 'We left Australia on May 24th," he said, "travelled across the Indian Ocean to South Africa,! and journeyed another 1500 miles, remaining in British territory all th e time. Then we went on to the Homeland, touring through England, Scotland, and Ireland . We left Britain to journey in a British boat to Canada, travelled across British territory, to the Pacific, and then took another British steamer to New Zealand We have gone round the world, journeying incessantly under the British flag. It is something to be proud of, and a more striking demonstration of the far-flung character of the British Empire than the claim that the sun never sets upon it." They had been privileged to see many aspects of the war. They had witnessed the combatants engaged in hand-grenade warfare, some of them had been drawn up in observation balloons and watched the fighting proceeding, and some of them had been fortunate enough to have a flight in a biplane. : 'I . £f^fj

THE "MYSTERY" SHIPS. '< We have been on the deck of what is probably the biggest vessel afloat,-" continued Senator de Largie. "We have seen big war vessels —cruisers. —bigger and faster than the Queen Elizabeth. Some, I think, will be already equipped and ready for active service, for they were all but complete when we saw them."

- They had also conferred with responsible Ministers of the British Cabinet, and they had heard a statement of the position in regard, to the British army from the Chief of General Staff, Sir William Robertson. They had heard a financial statement regarding the war from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and they had had placed before them the views of the President of the French Republic, of the Prime Minister of France, and the British Premier, Mr Asquith. I think the war has shown everyone in Britain who gives any thought to Empire matters, that there is one thing above everything else that must be done in future. Britons in the southern seas y as well as Britons at Home, must get closer together and form a closer political connection than in the past. I recognise that this is a very big and difficult problem, but there is no reason why we should not tackle it and make the best we can of it."

Asked whether their experience of conscription in Britain had led the party to recognise the necessity for similar measures in the Colonies, Senator de Largie replied that they had obtained a good deal of detailed information in regard to figures and so on, which was entirely confidential, and upon which they were not at liberty to speak But as far as Australia was concerned, he felt certain from the figures he had seen in connection with recruiting and the army they already had in field, that Australia had done its share. Perhaps it had done more than any other Dominion in the proportion of men it had sent to the front. Nevertheless he believed in conscription as a principle, not because of anv demonstration he had received as to "its necessity for the maintenance of the Commonwealth's obligations.