DOMINION AND COMMONWEALTH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 12 November 1912, Page 5

DOMINION AND COMMONWEALTH.

CABLE NEWS

(United, Treat Association—By iElcc-1 trie Telegraph—Copyright.)

NAVAL QTESTIONS

UNIVERSAL TRAINING COMMENDED.

(Received November 11, 9.50 a.m.) MELBOURNE. November 11. Speaking at a Mayoral luncheon, the Governor-General (Lord Denman) conifnondod universal training, as it was unlikely to act as a check to militarism instead of encouraging it. He hoped for a supplemented scheme of naval .'efence, in which New Zea- , land would co-operate. Admiral Sir George King Hall, in urgi'iiz tho necessity of developing , naval defence, said that if care was not taken to safeguard them, both | Australia and New Zealand would bo ; forced' to outer tho orbit of world politics, which would affect the Empire. Ho would iike to see New Zealand join with the Commonwealth, ill creating a formidable Pacific divis-ion-of the Imperial fleet. % Tlit' Prime Minister (Mr Andrew Fisher) said that from private and' ,semi-official communications, he Was satisfied that the feeling that New Zealand should: co-operate with Australia in naval matters was growing. He trusted that- before long there would be closer reciprocal trade rein! with New Zealand. He did not wish to press the Dominion, in that direction, but the Commonwealth waft willing at all times to discufes such matters, not from the view of party politics, but from a national stand- < point, as iond'inu to the progress and rifetv of both Dominions in the Pacific.