DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 118, 4 October 1912, Page 7

DEFENCE.

IN THE PACIFIC.

(By Telegraph.—Own .Correspondent). Wellington, Wednesday. Naval defence in the Pacific was dis-

i cussed briefly in the House this afternoon. Questioned by Mr. Ngata, the Prime Minister stated that the Government is at present in communication with the Imperial Government on the i subject, and the policy of the New Zealand Government on the subject would be announced in due course. Mr. Ngata remarked, in reply, that seeing that Canada (had proposed to give three warships •to the Imperial fleet,. the offer of a Dreadnougiht by the iate Government appeared to have been fully warranted. He went on to contend that the Australian navy, on the lines proposed, was a very poor investment. Australia was committed to an expenditure of threequarters of a million a year for maintaining a squadron which was not as powerful, taking the altered circumstances into consideration, as the Australian squadron was a few years ago, when it had control of the whole of the Pacific, lie held that we should buy our sea power in the cheapest market, which was Great Britain, and that the control of the fleet should be in the hands or the people, in whose hands it had been for generations past. Sir Joseph Ward said that he thought it was very much to be regretted that the Prime Minister had not given an outline of the policy of the Government on this important, question. New Zealand hud a population of about a million, and if they looked up the history of the defence of other countries they would not find that anv country had attempted to make any material move in the direction of defence until it had a population of from 15 millions to 20 millions. He went on to contend that it would be a very sad day for New Zealand when the mass of the people agitated for a local navy. The Pacific, from the standpoint of New Zealand, was of supreme importance. If a test of strength were ever to take 'place, with what country or countries was it likely to 'be? It would he with some great country with a power nearly equal to that of Great Britain! ' 'Could they, he asked, conceive the idea!of Sin Australian squadron .defending '.the British: interests in the Pacific? ' A great number of the best .men • connected with the British Navy

did not give expression to their opinions, but they were strongly opposed to the sectional' system of navies which had recently,grown up. There was only one "way,'in his opinion, that New Zealand could be best 1 dealt with in this respect, namely,' by - giving a reasonable contribution to the support of the British Navy,- which should be throughout under the. control. of the Admiralty. Personally; he > i believed ,- that the best pian.for the overseas dominions was to iulopt. a navy .contribution per head of population., The great end aimed '.should bei the keeping open., of the sea rpajfls., upcl |)iat jflf.awt something more than .ttjese..small. countries could do, in their hi,ghestj flights of imagination, for ■sljf), the'j present [ ihgre had been no diffic.uliy! in •'Ne.w, Zpnland making a small 'contribution towards the British Navy, '•which, in his opinion, would not only be 'the first but We' last line of defence, because if the British Navy went down amyirhere ne,ir, tJjel British coast we in 'New Zealand would have very little to TSay in any negotiations that might ensue. The greatest necessity of the •Mot4ior- the jjjavy, and the only way to help to-achieve that object, Wa!9 'by. r'ria.king large contributions towards it a,Ti.d 1 paving the control of its movements.jn th,e hands of the Admiralty... .• So, long .as wp had one great Empire j\ye have.one great navy, controllers' by..,the greatest intellect of the, Admira|ty. l navy would be of little use in time of trouble, unless ; it could roa<;h,"£he fjace where the main body was fighting "for the existence of the Empire.;--.| ; j The -Minister'for "Defence, the Hon. ,T. 'Al]e», declined to. make- any statement (|i'C,tty-e subject of defence, and the discu3?i,Qii was' lio'tj'further continued.