N.Z. NAVAL MATTERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 11 August 1919, Page 3

N.Z. NAVAL MATTERS.

«STATEMENT BY MR. MASSEY. AUCKLAND, August 6. Referring to naval matters to—day, the Prime Minister pointed outt-hat New Zealand is at the present time paying a sub‘s‘idy‘of £IOO,OOO 2. year to the British Navy, but that in future this would go towards the upkeep of a cruiser. It: was also arranged that we should have a vessel for tragining purposes to replace the Amokuna, and ‘Captain of that vessel is new on his way‘ho=me to ‘bring her out_ This new training ship will probably be a sloop-'6‘f-war of between 2500 and 3000 tons. “We were given the choice of three types of ship for the purpose,” said ‘Mr Massey,_“the first being a _ve‘se-I of the Talbot class, which would ‘be particularly suitable for training purposes. The Defence Department decided, however, that she would prove too big and costly, as she is a boat carrying twelve, 6-inch guns. Then there was a vessel of the Andromache type, and it is between -her type and the sleep

ialready mentioned fthat _l’c’ll'e‘ (choic\_e ‘will lay. It will em all probability be the sloop.” ; Questioned on the subject _of the "gift of submarines’ to New Zealand, ‘the Prime Minister said that if Par§‘]'iam’ent; decided that it would life ;'.to have a submarine, or two submariines, the-n we.could have (them, although no oflicial offer had benmade. He went: On to say that the Admiralty had practically decided to station Lseveral light cruisers in the neighbaurhood ofNeW Zealand is 3, sub-squad ron of the China Fleet, and these vessels would no doubt make New Zealand their headquéjrters. The Prime Minister had nothing to ‘say on the subject of a naval station in New Zealand.