CLOSE AT HAND.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 140, 6 November 1914, Page 5

CLOSE AT HAND.

THREE GERMAN CRHSERS. I MR. MASSEY TELLS A SECRET. "THANK GOD FOR THE 'AUSTRALIAN NAVYi" Wellington, Yesterday. The general public, according to a statement mude in the House- of Reipiesentatives yesterday by the Prime Minister, has been blissfully ignorant of the dangerous proximity to the stores of New Zealand of the German cruisers, which have become notorious in the raci He, at one stage of the crisis.

The subject cropped up over the Defence Amendment Bili, which, amis "at extending the' Government's contract with the Colonial Ammunitions Company for tlii- supply of nmmnnitiort. 'Several members urged that a State small-arms factory should be established with a view to supply arm* and n;;;jißimj.tion, against an attack ,b/ an enemy. sir Joseph Ward and Mr Isitt opposed the view, that an enemy would attack this country with a large anny. The danger that existed, they contended, was from raids, to combat' ■wnich was one of the main objects of the establishment of the territorial foice.

In the course of his reply the Minis* tcr for Defence (Hon. James Allen)' said that the Dominion owed a very great debt of gratitude to the Australian Governmnt for the assistance given 'by the Commonwealth navy to the Dominion, whose safety had depended upon that navy, and without it the invasion of Samoa would anve been impossible. Mr L. M. Isitt: '"lsn't this grt'ng a bit too far on the navy question!" Sir Joseph AVard: "A point of order, Mr Speaker, is this a reply to previous statements, or a new speech?" Mr (Speaker said that the hon. member for lOhristchurdh North had referred to the "local navy - ' question, and the Minister was enltlcd to reply. Sir Joseph Ward: "It is only electioneering. I shall have to speak at length on the matter when the Appropriation Bili comes up." Mr. Allen: "I shall be pleased to debate the question at any time." Mr Isitt: "We are ready for j-ou." Mr Allen: "I am willing to debate the matter on the public platform."

A DEBT ACKNOWLEDGED. The Opposition, however, d!d not wait for the introduction of the Appropriation Bill to bring up the question. /When the first reading of the Expeditionary Porceß Voting Bill (No. 2) was moved, Sir Joseph Ward said that quite . irrespective of the question -vdiiether the naval policy of Australia was right, o:- not, he acknowledged the invaluable vork which had been done by the Commonwealth with its navv during the crisis which had arisen. When the history of what had heen done by British, Jreneh, and Japaneso warships could be disclosed, the people would real'se their great value. He heVl a strong opinion that a local navy of this country would be a very undesirable thing. At the proper timti he would be prepared to discuss the. whole question. He did not want to introduce anything in th« shape of controversial di'seins'ion about the expeditionary force and he •was sorry that that aspect of the question had been raised. "PEOPLE WOULD THANK COD."

The Eight Hon. W. F. Massey qu*tc agreed with the leader of the Opposition that the time was not opportune to discuss such a matter. He endorscd the view that our people had not yet jtiicl an opportunity of appreciating the valuable work done by the Australian navy. If the people knew the inner hif.tory of the last few months' events they would thank God that there had heen an Australian navy in the present crisis. He could not go into deta'ls but ho knew that if it had not been for the Australian navy our fortified towns might have been smashed up and destroyed.

Sir Joseph Ward: That would not say much for the foresight of the British Admiralty. Mr. Massey continued that he was raising no ''bogey," but two of the moat powerful cruisers of the German navy were on one occasion within three days' sail of New Zealand. He only wished ho could tell what had taken place.' One thing that would have to be done next session was to pass a resolution, thanking the people of Australia for the protection which had been afforded.

Mr. T. H. Davey (Christchurch Kant): There is no division of opinion on that matter.

>lr. Massey said he would leave the matter at that. He had no desire to make party capital out of the naval policy, and he sincerely hoped anything of the sort would be avoided. THE MOTHERLAND'S PROTECTION.

Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) contended that if the necessity had arisen the British Navy would have been here to protect our shores. While the Australian Navy bad done good work, the fact could not be lost sight of that Great Britain would never allow the colonies to suffer. British ships would certainly have been hero if the former Government had remained in power. Mr. W. Nosworthy (Ashburton): Now,' you will stir it up properly.

. The Hon. James Allen said he had not brought up this matter, but ho felt it his boundcn duty to say something. He knew what the feeling of the Australians was about this matter, and he knew that they had been bitterly disappointed that their ideals—and he believed the ideals of the Imperial Navyhad not been carried out because of tho necessity imposed on them to do work appertaining to the Imperial Navy. The story would be told some day. He could not toll it now. Ho had communications from a prominent person in Australia, in which he referred to the disappointment of Australians on the point. His (Mr. Allen's) own impression was that New Zealand would not have had the defence it got had it not been for the creation oi the Commonwealth Navy. Mr. Nosworthy: You are quite right.

THE 1909 AGREEMENT. ' Mr. (Allen went on to say . that the breach of the agreement in 1900 was a great mistake. Unquestionably what had been taking place during the last two or three months had opened the eyes of a good many people. His eyes were opened before. Ho had always said it was our bounden duty to hold out the hand of friendship to, onr brothers on the other side of the Tasman Sea. He was sorry to mi,\ it had not always been the custom of New Zealand to do so. He was perfectly certain the only Bound policy for A'.u-tralia and New Zealand was to work together for the creation of such a i nftvv 8J w«»?-> +*> pnijH) t„ nrotwtmp <vU trnifo ncmtM' •.:■• tilt ? t»<.»■* tomkuiow