Naval Defence

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 295, 16 May 1914, Page 5

Naval Defence

NEW ZEALAND AND THE PACIFIC. IMPERIAL CONFERENCE MAY MEET NEXT YEAR. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright London, May 14. Mr. Charehill, in reply to Mr. Hall, said ho had seen press reports of the New Zealand Ministers' speeches on the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. If the New Zealand Government desired to make further proposals before the conference was held the Admiralty would give them its attention.

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER.

I Br Telegraph—Press Association. Gisborne, Last Night. Mr. Winston Churchill's statement regarding the New Zealand Ministers asd the Anglo-Japanese agreement was referred to the Premier by a reporter this evening.

Mr. Massey stated that the proposals of the New Zealand Government were already in the hands of the Admiralty. A great number of cablegrams had passed between the Government and Mr. Churchill on the subject, and nothing farther could now be done until the conference met, which he hoped would be early next year. He stated that he was looking forward with a great deal of interest to meeting representatives from l other parts of the Empire to go fully into this important question.

SIR JOSEPH WARD REPLIES TO MINISTERS.

"A CONTORTION OF FACTS."

Marton, Thursday. Sir Joseph -Ward received a great reception. The Town Hall was packed, about 800 people being present. Sir Joseph was received with cheers on entering the hall. He received a splendid hearing, applause being frequent and prolonged. The Mayor (Mr. J. H. Miles) presided.

Sir Joseph Ward made some telling points, especially in regard to naval defence and the Dreadnought. Dealing with the former, he said that the r* tempt to make capital out of the f«ct that his resolution concerning the setting up of an Imperial Parliament of Defence was not carried at the Imperial Conference in 1911, could only be regarded as something of no consequence. He quoted from the report of the Conference to show that he had made it quite clear that the. proposals could not be hurriedly given effect to. He told the Conference that his scheme presupposed in the United Kingdom a complete system of local autonomy for national divisions of the Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, each having its own Parliament. What had happened since then? Recent cables showed that 200 members of the House of Commons—Unionists and Liberals—had banded together for the purpose of establishing a federal system for the United Kingdom. It was'quite apparent that the basis of settlement of the Irish troubles was to be on federal lines, such as he had indicated'.

Two Ministers in their recent speeches had mentioned the work done by him at the Imperial Conference, with a view lo burying their local navy scheme, but what ]>■■ (Sir Joseph) had*stated would at least show that he was not very far out win-it. before a gathering of men representing the Empire, lie had advocated an Empire Parliament and a Parliament for each of the national divisions of the British Lies. Such a scheme, it seemed from present indications, was to save the Homeland from a horrible civil war. .Ministers could jibe at him and endeavor to belittle him a.s much as they liked on the question of a local navy, but nothing could persuade him that we could stop at one Bristol cruiser. He had no desire to draw defence into party strife. This had been done by the Reform Government, who had forced a scheme through Parliament without any authority from the people. He characterised Mr. Massey's statement, at Cisbonie in regard to the Dreadnought as a contortion of the facts. The battleship had been provided by New Zealand and paid for. He had arranged the payment so that it would not press on the working man, and nobodv could deny that, (Applause).

Mr. W. 11. O'omez moved a vote of thanks to Sir Joseph Ward, expressing confidence in lite Liberal parly, uud the hope that it would top the polls at the next election. This was carried wilh applause, there being no dissent i-ut. The meeting closed with ehceiv for the leader of the Opposition.