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EMPIRE DEFENCE.

BUSINESS OF THE IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. SIR J. G. WARD INTERVIEWED. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, September 30 Interviewed on arrival to-day Sir Joseph Ward said with reference to the Imperial Naval Conference that from the outset he had held the view, and had expressed it also, that, of necessity, there must be flexible conditions to enable the different portions of the Empire to provide for what their Governments, and the people behind their Governments, considered to be best suited to their requirements and sentiments. The work of the conference was.approached in this spirit by the rapresentatives'ofthe different countries present, and, as is already known, Australia and Canada, complying with what they believed to be the conditions attaching to their countries, had each gone upon the lines of having a local nayy„ while New Zealand, South Africa, and Newfoundland adhered to the spirit of one great Imperial navy, to several parts of the Empire. In his judgment, a good work had been done , by the Imperial Defence Conference, and though different portions of the Empire, recognising their undoubted right, have decided to support local as against one Imperial Navy, yet the general result has been to materially strengthen naval defence, and a very important step forward lias been taken towards the protection of British interests in the Pacific. So far as New Zealand's position is concerned, the course he had followed as its representative was a clear and definite one, and one from which no departure was made by him—namely, the support of one great Imperial naval force, a portion of which was to be in New Zealand waters. He had noticed some people, in assuming what he, as New Zealand's representative, had done, imagined that some change in reference to the offer of a Dreadnought was made or suggested by him. This is quiet incorrect. There was not a variation of any sort or kind made regarding the offer by New Zealand of a Dreadnought, which, it will be remembered, was an unconditional offer, so far as the control or disposition of the battleship was concerned, and, being at the disposition of the Admiralty, it was to be sent to wherever it best suited the requirements of the British Navy. The Admiralty had expressed preference for a battleship of the "Indomitable" calss, concerning which there seemed to be some misunderstanding in the minds of some

people, who had been criticising the matter. The New Zealand battleship is to be the flagship of the British. Pacific squadron, whose head quarters are to be on the China station. This was undoubtedly the right place for it from a strategical paint of view. He had noticed with some surprise the fact that some people appeared not to have known that the base of the British fleet on the China station is in British territory—viz., Honk Kong. He thought it should be regarded as a compliment to New .Zealand that its battleship was selected to be the Admiral's flagship of the Pacific fleet. Our ship could have easily been made one of th« Channel Fleet, without any such distinction being conferred upon it. so that it would be seen that no change of position or attitude was taken up by * him in reference to the offer of a Dreadnought, which was confirmed by Parliament, to be at the disposition of the Admiralty. Referring to the question of military defence, Sir Joseph Baid that very great attention had been given to that question and to the organising of the military forces throughout the Empire. Important conclusions had been arrived at by the conference, but they were at present of a confidential character, and as some of the recommendations must form the subject of legislation, it was not possible for him at present to give details, but he could say that very valuable work had been done in connection with proposals for the organisation and control of the land forces in tha various parts of the Empire. There will be uniformity of system, of regulations, and of training., and also of arms, and stores. Provision will be made for the interchange of General Staff Officers, and also a! system of intercommunication be • tween the various sections of the Imperial General Staff. There are a

number of important proposals, all in the direction of making for efficient forces throughout the Empire. There was, of course, no attempt on the part of the conference to force upon any portion of the Empire, through their representative of the conference, either a compulsory or any other system of internal training Matters of this kind necessarily are left to the respective countries to do whatever they consider best, as a conferenca to attempt to dictate what system should be adopted by any self-governing country would be usurping the functions ot the countries concerned. What has been done, and which is most valuable, is the adoption of a general sjstem in the matter of organisation *nd control, as already indicated, providing for uniformity. The number or men trained by the respective countries must, of necessity, be left to those countries to settle for themselves. He proposed at an early period of the session to submit to Parliament for its consideration and ratification what had been done by him at the conference on behalf uf New Zealand.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19091001.2.44

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9609, 1 October 1909, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
885

EMPIRE DEFENCE. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9609, 1 October 1909, Page 6

EMPIRE DEFENCE. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9609, 1 October 1909, Page 6

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