THE BRITISH NAVY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 282, 25 May 1912, Page 5

THE BRITISH NAVY

LORD KITCHENER'S. VIEWS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, May 23. Reutef's Malta correspondent says it is stated in well-informed quarters that Lord Kitchener emphatically opposes the withdrawal of a single warship from the Mediterranean, and insists on a warship being stationed off the coast of Egypt. He is starting for Malta to confer with Messrs. Aaquith and Churchill. MR. MASSEY'S VIEWS. By Telegraph— Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. In reference to the recent decision of the Cabinet to allow the gift-battleship New Zealand to be stationed where the Home Government desires, instead of having her placed on the China station ms originally intended, the leader of the Opposition was asked for an expression of opinion by a reporter to-day. "We regard the question," said Mr.Massey, "as an Imperial matter and quite above party politics. I am satisfied to leave it to the Imperial Government to say where the battleship will be of most use to the Empire." More than that, Mr. Massey remarked, he could not say. PRESS CRITICISM. Received 24, 8 p.m. London, May 24. The Pall Mall Gazette agrees that it is wisdom on the various parts of the Empire to vie with each other in naval matters, each in its own way. It considers that the battleships Australia and New Zealand, with another from the Royal Navy, should be sent tc form the nucleus of a future ocean fleet, but New Zealand assenting in Mr. Churchill's request is more clear-sighted than those in Australia who think that the withdrawal of the New Zealand leaves the burden of Australasia's defence on the Commonwealth alone. That defence, however, is as much the whole of the Empire's concern and that of the Empire's whole navy as the defence of London. The Westminster Gazette, in a special article, emphasises Australia's valuable Imperial work in the Pacific, her invitation to the Admiralty expert, and her entire adoption of Admiral Henderson's report, involving a heavy financial outlay of twenty years' shipbuilding. It adds that the past year's foundation work is well done. Sir W. Hall-Jones, interviewed, said that New Zealand showed the strongost enthusiasm' for the battleship scheme, and there was no shadow of chagrin regarding the use of the ship for Home waters.