AUSTRALIA'S NAVY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10648, 1 June 1912, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S NAVY

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association —By Elec- . trie Telegraph—Copyright.)

FOR AUSTRALIAN WATERS

DIFFERENT TO NKW ZEALAND'S SYSTEM. (Received Last Night, 9 o'clock.) MELBOURNE, May 31. The Hon. G. F. Pearce, Federal Minister of Defence, commenting on the London suggestion that the CommonAvealt'll cruisers be allowed to remain in European waters, declared that their world did not seem to extend beyond the Mediterranean. There was a Very wide difference between New Zealand's system of helping Britain to maintain her seapower, and Australia's policy of building: a fleet. The people of England still think that Australia is co-operating with New Zealand in- maintaining a. squadron in the Pacific. New Zealand's battleship was never intended to remain in New Zealand waters, but was destiiir ed for the China station. Therefore her action was consistent with this arrangement, just as Australia was carrving out her undertaking to build a fleet "which would unite with the service< of the new station which she has to police.

LAUNCH OF A CRUISER

TRIBUTE TO SPIRIT OF DOMINIONS. . (Received May 31, 8 a.m.) LONDON, May 30. The cruiser Melbourne, for the Australian fleet, was launched to-day, at the yards of Camnie.il, Laird and Co., Birkenhead.

Sir Newton Moore (Agent-General for Western Australia), Rear-Admiral Bacon, Alderman Kelly, -and a la.rge number of Australians were present.

Mr Hitch ings, chairman of Gamin ell, Laird and Co.. in proposing success to the new cruiser, paid a tribute to the spirit of the Dominions in assuming the burdens of manhood. He presented Mrs Braund, who performed the launching ceremony, with a casket. Captain Collins, secretary to the Australian High Commissioner, outlined the Australian naval policy. In ,a recent notable speech Mr Churchill (First Lord of the Admiralty) 'had emphasised recent naval developments as pointing to a division of labour between the. Mother Country and her daughters. Australia's -sense -of local requirements and Imperial obligations had, added Captain CoMins, led to her building a navy. Her task was greatei because her population was only four nind -a half millions, and she was faced with the problem of developing a territory larger than Europe without Russia.