THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1912. FEDERATION WITH AUSTRALIA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10558, 13 February 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1912. FEDERATION WITH AUSTRALIA.

The suggestion . recently thrown out by the Prime Minister of the Common wealth that. overtures Should be made with New Zealand for an early federation, appears to hav-e met with as chilly a reception on the other side of the water as it has done in New Zealand. .. The Melbourne Age declares that "Mr Fisher's idea does not commend itself to the national intelligence" of the people of Australia, and is, moreover, absolutely impracticable. The Commonwealth has committed itself to the creation of a navy of its own, and has already secured several war vessels of the most modern and efficient types, while other ships are in process of construction. New Zealand, on the other hand, has not a warship of her own, and nono are being built to her order. She is absolutely dependent on Britain. "These things being so," remarks the Age, "how can New Zealand negotiate with the Commonwealth for any sort of naval federation on conditions remotely resembling conditions of equality? Now, and for years to come, the Australian navy will be too small and too weak to guarantee the safety of oar own land with its whole forces exclusively employed in our service. To impose upon it the extra burden and responsibility of defending, or helping to defend, a country five days' steain away would be a policy, worthy, only of a race of Bedlamites." At tho present time Australia is spending on national defence £4,500,000 a year, and the share of this sum that is ear-marked for the navy is intended to provide a fleet

capable of protecting only the Australian coast and commerce. To link hands navally with New Zealand would require forthwith a deep-sea battle fleet, which Australia neither could or should provide, and New Zealand is not at all likely to make up the deficiency. Mr Deakin, speaking on the same subject at the A.N.A. luncheon, said:— "He was a member of the 3891 convention ■ when the first draft of Australian un- ! ion was prepared, and there New ; Zealand was represented. From that day to this they had never ceased to hold out every inducement to thr.ir brothers across that narrow strip of sea. This was a question to be referred to, but not discussed at th'S stage."