The Daily News. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1922. NAVAL POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1922. NAVAL POLICY.

When Mr. Massey mentioned in the House recently the subject of the Dominion’s naval policy, he was in a somewhat difficult position, for the reason that, practically, the Imperial Government’s policy is in the melting pot, partly by reason of the decisions arrived at by the international delegates at Washington, and in other part because the. question of corelation between the Navy and the Air Service has become a matter on which there exists an acute cleavage of opinion. All that Mr. Massey could do was to impress upon the House that the Dominion was in a manner pledged to take a greater share of the naval burden on its shoulders in the future than had been the ease in the past. That view was endorsed by the Leader of the Opposition, and may be regarded as endorsed by the country at large. At the same time it was admitted that until the finances of the Government and the people improved it would not be right to undertake much, if anything,. more than was being done at present in maintaining H.M.S. Chatham in Pacific waters, i There was mention of the probability of New Zealand eventually being responsible for a small fleet of cruisers, but. it is to be hoped no such scheme, however flattering it might, be to the vanity of the Dominion, will ever take shape. The one basic principle which should be adopted by the Dominion is that, of one Navy for the Empire, supplied and controlled by the Imperial Government, New Zealand contributing a fair share of the cost of upkeep. The wisdom of such a policy is emphasised by the uncertainty as to what the future has in store with reference to naval armaments in view of the developments of aircraft. An indication of the uncertainty of the position was recently given in the House of Commons, when Mr. George Lambert, a former Civil Lord of the Admiralty, strongly advocated that instead of the Government spending sixteen millions on the construction of two new battleships, the money should be utilised for the building of aircraft. It was insisted by Viscount Curzon that the Navy of the future must take to the air, otherwise it would be at a hopeless disadvantage, but. as Mr. Lambert remarked, if the Admiralty and the Air Service quarrel, who is to decide? Nothing is more certain than that a tremendous wastage of public money will take place unless these two services work ‘n harmony, for expenditure on the Navy may be quite useless without an efficient Air Service. Attention has been drawn to the policy America is pursuing in linking lip the Navy with aircraft. She has arranged a programme in which eighty-six fighting aircraft have a definite part. According to Captain Guest (Air Minister), Britain has 127 aeroplanes in active commission and first line reserve engaged in aerial and naval peace exercises, or in naval air training and development, behind these being a main reserve of over 200

aeroplanes, without pilots, all of which would be available for reinforcing the naval units. So far, therefore, it would seem that the British authorities are alive to the importance of the co-operation of aircraft with the Navy, but that a doubt exists as to whether the available aircraft is of a calibre that is necessary, and that is why Mr. Lambert asked: “Can the Navy say that, from the defensive point of view, the sixteen millions the taxpayers are asked to provide for two capital ships would be spent to the best advantage,” He contended it was useless to spend money on capital ships unless there was a sufficiency of aircraft for the ships already on service. Mr. Amery was obliged to admit that there was a considerable margin between the strength of the air

equipment the Government would like to possess, and what the fin- ' ances would allow. That is realI ly New Zealand’s position with regard to naval contributions at the present time. The main question to be considered is whether, for defensive purposes, the Dominions would not be better off with fleets of fighting airplanes and squadrons of submarines than battleships or cruisers. Certainly such forces would be much less expensive than cruisers. At all events, until a definite decision is rendered possible as the outcome of experience and developments, it would be unwise to commit the Dominion to any policy except that of a money contribution, and that is all we should be called upon to make under the circumstances. There is no money to throw away on spectacular displays now or for some time to come.