IMPERIAL NAVAL FORCE
NEW ZEALAND'S POSITION. THE WORK OP THE RECENT CONFERENCE. SIR JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Thursday. Sir Joseph Ward arrived by H.M.S Challenger at 10 o'clock this morning, Interviewed, the said Mr. Asquith, Premier of England, having made his
statement to the House of Commons, he was' at liberty to deal with certain as- / pects of the work of the Conference. Irom the outset he held the view that there must be flexible conditions to enable the different portions of the Empire to found what the Governments and the people considered best suited to their requirements and sentiments. He desired to remove the impression cabled that' New Zealand was outvoted. The Conference made no such statement, and no attempt was made by any country to force a vote,- nor were divisions taken, for the self-evident reason that no-majority vote could be expected to bind or force the self-governing countries. As far as New Zealand was concerned, his course was clear and definite to support one great Imperial naval force, a portion of which would be in New Zea-
land waters. No departure was mate by him from this policy. A New Zca land battleship to be the flagship of tttc British Pacific squadron with headquarters at the China station, was undoubt- , edly the right place from a strategic point of view. Sir Joseph produced correspondence with the Admiralty and said seven viseels that are to be sent to New Zealand will be the most modem in character and all constructed between now and 1912. The New Zealand detachment wliich remains in New Zealand waters will be under the control of a senior officer. He felt confident V< careful examination of the proposals outlined in the memorandum, and assented to by the Admiralty, would show that while New Zealand stands for one great Imperial Navy, to its important interests as a part" of the British possessions it was well providt.l for.
Every facility would be given to New Zealanders to join ships in our waters, and he proposed on the' expiry of the present agreement and on completion of the 'Pacific fleet unit in 1912, to continue our contribution of £IOO,OOO per annum. But this would be for the payment of extra rate of pay to New Zealanders above the ordinary British rate As far as possible in ships manned by New Zealanders, men proving eligible for promotion could become officers of the highest positions in the navv. The battleship supplied By New Zealand would be an armored ship almost as costly as a Dreadnought. The naval authorities hai a stron* preference, as against a Dreadnought proper, for an armored cruiser, winch would be more satisfactory and effectiv.. as part of a Pacific squadron. New Zealand was not separating from Australia in any sense. The'naval defence of our attachment hitherto was not a squadron owned or controlled \>y Australia, but witli the British squadron with headquarters in Australia. The suggestion that the Admiral of the Australian unit would also be Admiral of the ships in New Zealand waters, in practice was unworkable, because New Zealand ship? were part and parcel of the British Navy. Those of Australia were to be known as the Australian local na\v. The lntter navy would be under the control of the Australian Admiral in times of peace and under th? control of the British Admiralty in time of war.
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 203, 1 October 1909, Page 3
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568IMPERIAL NAVAL FORCE Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 203, 1 October 1909, Page 3
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