DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 176, 30 August 1909, Page 2

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE

THE NEW SCHEME. THE CANADIAN SQUADRON. MAINTENANCE 01-' TWO DOCKYARDS By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright London, August 27. Mr. As(|iiitli said regarding Canada Unit it was proposed, according to th l sum available, that a stiirl be made with tli« Bristol type of cruisers and destroyer.,' of the improved river class. A part of the squadron is to be stationed on the Atlantic seaboard and part on the l'acilic. In accordance with previous arrangements, Canada had undertaken the maintenance of dockyards it Halifax and Esquimalt, and it was part of an arrangement proposed with the Australian representative that tile Commonwealth should eventually undertake the maintenance of a dockyard at Sydney. He hoped that all the material documents relating to the Conference would be laid before Parliament beforthe end of the session. (Cheers.)

FINANCING THE COLONIAL NAVIES. ■, PRESS "CRITICISM. London, August 27. Britain contributes" a quarter of a million annually to the Commonwealth fleet. It is expected that the Commonwealth will raise a naval loan requiring half a million annually for interest and sinking fund. If New Zealand floats a loan it. will require £150,000 annually for interest and sinking fund, besides the £IOO,OOO as heretofore. The Pall Mall (iiuette heartily congratulates the conference upon the splendid outcome of its labors, and says, "the new scheme is an Imperial asset of immense value. With this programme the most despondent among us need not despair 'of the future of the British Empire." The Daily News doubts the utility of scattered forces, and says "if the Empire is in peril the struggle will Be primarily for the command of the North Sea and the English Channel. Fleets concentrated in the Pacific will be of no service for that task. It is equally difficult to understand how smnll vessels have been located to form part of a New Zealand squadron and to form part of a China squadron." The Times says that public opinion will do justice to the wisdom, tact, and foresight shown wherewith the Admiralty and the War Office approached the difficult and complex task. The results of the conference marked a definite advance in the organisation of the Empire in defence. The Times welcomes particularly the proposal to create a Pacific squadron. The projected arrangements besides being suitable to present conditions are capable of a logical and systematic expansion h accordance with that ideal of free cooperation between kindred nations, owinjr td their allegiance to one Crown, which all the mental and moral strcngtn , of llinperinl statesmanship is now set to realise. The proposals mark the opening of a new period of Imperial history. The Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph, ■ the Daily Chronicle and the Standard i are equally congratulatory.

GERMAN PRESS VIEWS. "PARADING BRITISH POWER." Received 20, 5.5 p.m. Berlin, August 29. The newspaper Berliner Tagebhitt, commenting on Mr. Asquith's defence statement, predicts that the debates in the overseas Parliaments regarding the Defence Conference proposals svill be excited and lengthy, and objections Will be raised to the ivcw programme. The paper denies that there is any cause of particular anxiety in Germany rcga.ding the re-organisation of the British and Imperial defences, and adds that Britain's turning to the colonies for aisistance is a symptom of exhaustion. The Lokalanzeiger interprets Mr. Asqtiith's reference to approaching co-oper-ation between the dominions nnd Motherland as an intention to parade Britain's power before the eyes of foreign countries.

NEW ZEALAND AND THE NAVY. MR. MASSEY'S DISAPPOINTMENT By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The views of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Massey) in regard to the agreement arrived at by the Dcfenne Conference (as announced by Mr. Asquith), were stated to n Herald representative to-day. "The cablegram dealing with Mr. Asquith's statement," said Mr. Massey, "is so fragmentary that H i' somewhat difficult to express an opinion thereon.. I must say, however, that so far an it is possible to judge of what has been done, I am somewhat disap-

pointed. In the first place, I understand , Hint the whole question of the defence ' of the overseas dominions of the Empiro . would he dealt with. The cablegram, ' however, is singularly silent in regard ' to the defence of the harbors, or even the proposed methods of the ordinaiy land defence of New Zaland. There is not a word, for instance, about national training in regard to which so much interest is taken in this country, and in our Parliament. I hope that these matters have not .been overlooked, because there are many people, and I am one,

who think that they are of even moie importance than the eontrilmtion of a battleship to tlie British Navy. Apparently, from what Mr. Asquith" say*, the tfea of the Dreadnought gift from New Zealand has been departed from, and instead we are to provide a cruiser

which will be stationed in China seas. I hardly think this will satisfy the pen- ! pic of New Zealand, or that they will r receive much benefit thentfrom, except from the general strengthening of the Pacific section of the Navy, which is evidently intended. Tf when the offer

were made to the Imperial Government, it had been not an offer of a battleship, but of an armored cruiser, to be stationed in the Far East, would there have been such a chorus of approval? My decided opinion is that it would not have been so, and I have no doubt that Parliament will consider the matter very carefully before agreeing to what is now proposed."

Mr. Massey expressed regret that some arrangement had not been made by which New Zealand might be able to work with Australia in the matter of naval defence, and he hoped that even yet something might be done in that respect.