NAVAL SCHEME.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9642, 6 November 1909, Page 5

NAVAL SCHEME.

AN AUSTRALIAN UNIT. NEW ZEALAND INVITED TO JOIN. Received November 5, 11.5 a m. PERTH, November 5. Colonel Foxton, Federal Minister, who represented the. Commonwealth at the Imperial Defence Conference, has returned here. Referring to the separate naval schemes of New Zealand anJ Australia, Colonel Foxton says:—"l do not think Sir Joseph Ward will mind my saying that in and out of the conference, I urged upon him the desirability of New Zealand throwing in its lot with the Commonwealth, and joining in the responsibility for a truly Australasian flee); unit. But my efforts were unsuccessful "

Sir Joseph Ward forestalled Colonel TFoxton in announcing that he had been invited to join in providing an Australian navai unit, but had declined. As soon as the Premier got back to Auckland, he proclaimed the fact, and published letters which had passed between himself and the Commonwealth representative on the subject. In one of these letters Colonel Foxton wrote:—"May I point out that except in mere name New Zealand's contribution will, under what you now propose, have practically the same effect so far as New Zealand is concerned, inasmuch as you will be paying i 5250,.000 per year to the Imperial Government, and the latter will be subsidising Australia to a somewhat similar if not lareeir amount. Would ifc not be well that instead of this sum being nominally applied towards -maintaining Hie unit in China, it should be applied towards the maintenance of the Australasian unit, which Willi almost certainly be the ope to which New Zealand will have in the first instance to look for her protection? Sbe; wouid at least nave the satisfaction ol knowing that she was in reality contributing; to the cost of maintniining- the squadron whose vessels will be from time to time visiting her ports." In his reply Sir Joseph Ward said: "I much regret that I am unable to fall in with what is proposed—first, because, speaking tor New Zealand, I believe it is in the best interests not only of that Dominion, but of the Empire as a whole, that we should remain directly attached to the British Navy. "Second, to.combine with the Commonwealth in an Australian squadron means in reality the establishment and maintenance of a Jocal fleet for New Zealand, as the New Zealand unit of that squadron. Obviously, it would ne unfair to Australia and objectionable to New Zealand for us to be attached ti such a sq.uadron, un less we paid for our own unit, which would thus, in effect, be a local navy. As a matter of policy for New Zealand, I am against the establishment of a local navy, believing, as I do, that it is better for us to have the full support of the whole British Navy for the protection of New Zealand amongthe other great interests of the Em prie.. "Third, New Zealan d is not giving a contribution of £250,000 per annum, but is furnishing one Dreadnought, and proposes to-continue its contribution of £IOO,OOO per annum to the British navy for the purpose of paying to New Zealanders on board those tships the difference between the Admiralty rates and the local rates of pay. "Fourth, as Australia has decided to have its own local unit, it must be to its advantage, as well as that of New Zealand, to have a second unit for the Pacific, the China fleet unit being on the China and New Zealand stations "