The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1914. CANADA AND NAVAL DEFENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 168, 15 January 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1914. CANADA AND NAVAL DEFENCE.

A cable message published on Saturday shows the farmers of Canada to be concerned about their own private interests as well as about the defence of their country and the Empire against foreign aggression. They are reported to be agitating against expenditure on warships and contending that the money ought rather to be spent in providing or subsidising merchant .steamships to carry their produce and break down the monopoly of the shipping ring. There as sound sense in the attitude of the fanners. Xo people can ;be truly patriotic unless they live under equitable conditions and liave their interests looked after 'by the Government. The Canadian farmers had a very generous harvest last year, and the exports of agricultural produce for the month of September were double those for'the same month of the preceding year. But if, by combination and "pooling-" arrangements the shipping companies can raise the rates so that they and not the producer get the benefit of Alio bountiful harvest, it is not to be wondered at that" the fanners complain.and cc.ll on the Government to redress their wrongs. Amid all, the Canadian people are thoroughly loyal, and will be* found prepared, when the time comes, to support a vigorous defence policy. The recent announcement of the changS in New Zealand's naval policy was well received by both political parties in Can,ada. Tile Conservative organs were careful to point out that the New Zealand policy went further than that of the Liberals of Canada,'in that it provided foil' the local fleet passing automatically under the control of the British Admiralty in war time. But the Toronto Globe, the chief Liberal organ, claimed that both policies were identical. It said, in the course of nil ar- ) tide on the subject

. ,X,ew Zealand's announced intention to abandon the policy of paying naval subsidies to Great Britain, and to begin the construct ion and organisation of a fleet of her mvn, comes as a stunning .shock to the naval centralisers on both sides of the Atlantic. Australia's example was 'bound to tell sooner or later, but no one outside of New Zeahind expected the change would come as rapidly as it has done. . . . The Xcw Zealand intimation has ibeen favorably received 011 the. whole by liritish journal!. They have been educated by the' Canadian discussions to a. greater cxtwit ■than most oE us have been assuming. They have caught the ideas and ivre | now using the expressions of those who 1 advocated a Canadian licet manned 'by 1 Canadians, and ready to be merged in ! the British navy in time of war. Tlusy J recognise that t'he Pacific Ocean is just Jas important as the Atlantic, if not J move so, for the whole Empire, and iwhi'n 'Canada determines, as she verv soon will, to have a fleet unit on the Pacific in accordance with the AuMra-

liisian ft#roomcnt. the British journals of every complexion will pronounce our policy to be exactly correct."

This is very satisfactory, should the forecast prove to be correct. If any. tiling will reconcile New Xealamlers to the "little navy" ])oliev, it is the project of tliat policy growing into a groat Defence Federation of tlie, oversea dominions, of wliieii the motto should be "Each for all and all for each."