NAVAL DEFENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10719, 28 September 1912, Page 5

NAVAL DEFENCE

C ABLEjNTE W S (United Press Associatiotir—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

ADMIKAtTY POLICY CRITICISED AUSTRALIA'S POSITION. (Jk'co.'vod This Horning, 12.10 o'clock.) LONDON, September 27. An Australian, writing to the Times, suggests that an Australian naval unit without a plan of combined operation with the Canadian and China squad-' rons, is without the support necessary to secure tho Commonwealth's vital interests. Australia, he states, has a licet almost ready, whilo the other parties of the 1909 conference have done* absolutely nothing. The New Zealand Dreadnought is to be kept, at Home. Nothing has been heard of tho Admiralty's two eastern units. "The time has come," ho writes, "for the Admiralty to divulge its Pacific Policy. It has aided, abetted, fostered and encouraged a local Australian fleet, and is now leaving it virtually to maintain alone British power and prestige." How, ho asks, is tho Admiralty going to fashion infant •.'oionial navies into useful auxiliaries by such a policy. NEWSPAPER COMMENT, PERIODICAL CONFERENCES USELESS. _____ 1 NEW ZEALAND APPREHENSIVE. (Received This Morning, 12.10 o'clock.) LONDON, September 27. The Times, in a leading article, commenting on the Australian's letter, | states that events are moving so rapidly in the sphere of Imperial defence, that periodical conferences aro now useless. "The right course," the article states, "for the Dominions is to bo represented by their own Ministers on the Committee of Imperial defence by which the Cabinets will be continuously in touch with Imperial affairs. The Hon James Allen's speech in New Zealand shows that tho temporary supersession of the 1909 programmes is also causing some apprehension in New Zealand,- but no change in the British arrangements in Eastern waters is likely or desirable. Steady and considered development of the Australian navy, is probably all that the moment requires, though the China squadron should shortly again be strengthened. New Zealand and Australia are facing their iiational responsibility -,vith courage, foresight, 'and seal. Some malicious efforts li'avt " been mado to belittle and distort the system of universal training, which they havo patriotically introduced. q ut the allegations are worth little."