FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 311, 8 January 1908, Page 2

FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE.

ADMIRAL FAWKKS' ADVICK. SPEECH BY Silt JOSEPH WARD. * ' PKEI'AHKD TO IAC'HEASE NAVAL ISUBSiDI'." l\ir Tress Association. lnvcreargili, Last Night. Admiral and Lady u'awkus \xv.it entertained at Juneheun at the IJiulf to- | day by Um iiluli' Jlarbor Jjoard. Air J. j r,. \iuLmhl (chairman of tlie, lioii'd) \ proposed tiic health of the quests, and : i tat! Jiritish naval aerviec as U»insj tiic guarantee for the continuation 0/ peace in me jJo.h.iIIH >f ( or.emienily ilie people sliou.d .-part 1!() SXTliire ill Hl'Ok.HL r to ('O'llnljjllc to

Miai 't ii-i the Mipreniaev of l.he n vv, as oU'.'T (onmrics were casiiug envious cu'S at the progress and prosperity of t lie Dominion. Ad'iiiral Fawkes, i-i reply, tliaiik-il the Board for the eitertn.inment, and ' said he was proud to be the lirst Admiral to iiy i.ie ii.ig in tile inner harbor of the Bluff. He enumerated what , the flag stood lor New Zealand. It had placed the present people in the Dominion and insured thom peace and protection, enabling them to make progress in a comparatively short time, which was the wonderment of visitors from tho Old Land. He emphasised tho necessity for the Empire hanging together. There was no certainty that peaco would last, and it was the dui v of the citizens to be prepared to guard their hearth and homes. The navy must be kept up, particularly ill regard to the way in which its was controlled. There were 41 New Zoalanders and Australians in the Navy, and he had received the best reports of them. Regarding the naval agreement, he was of opinion that the naval control was the best (as at present) in the hands of the Admiralty. To move the Bhipß to see where even an attack was threatened and keep possible enemies from our waters was better than to beat them on our shores. Time might bring new developments, but the best developments was the gradual training

up of men from all parts of Hie Empire in tho Navy. The Admiral conveyed the King's personal message that his Majesty was sorry lie had been unable to visit Australasia. In response to the toast of the Dominion Government, the Premier said that there should lie no alteration in ' the naval agreement, as the office of the navy wa.s to defend commerce on the highways of the seas. This country was prepared to increase its subsidy materially. It would he & sound policy for the Government to say they would ' have a suitable ship and one thousand • young fellows aboard that ship. If in r conjunction with tlie present work they ! were carrying Out, the Government ! could get a suitable ship to accommodate 1000 youths the Government were ? prepared to pay for its upkeep, and the - country would endorse the action. The e Government, would go further: they e would provide pensions for the lads t after they had completed their .services. " The population would one day be many ' millions, and the Government had to as- ! sist those in charge. After the luncheon, Admiral Fawkes s proceeded direct to Qucenatown by >' special train.