PACIFIC DEFENCE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 1736, 22 January 1913, Page 5

PACIFIC DEFENCE

CABLE NEWS

(United 1 ress Electric Telegraph —Copyright.)

i AN AUSTRALIAN NAVY. L\EW ZEALAND'S CONTRIBUTION (Received Last Xipht. 10,35 o'clock.) SYDNEY, .January 21. The Sydney Sun's Melbourne correspondent ways that from information ho has received from, semi-offi-cial and other quarters, lie confidently predicts that before the end of tile year -New Zealand will have received Britain's benediction upon a new and important departure 111 South Pacific defence. | The Commonwealth Government has communicated its views to the Imperial Government and the "iton. James Allen, that the Australian Navv should be expanded into an Australasian Navy ; that the in aval stations in the Pacific -should fie changed, cutting New Zealand out of the China Station and adding it to Australia's station ; and that Canada should provide a Pacific Fleet uni for co-ODeration in the time of war. _ The correspondent says there i:-> no doubt that the Admiralty will recommend a local fleet. and that NewZealand will accept the advice. The on]v question is as to whether the advice will be given immediately, or delayed until a, Defence Sub-confer-ence is lield in London or Canada. ! The prevalent idea is that the New Zealand section of the Australasian Navy will consist of two third-clasp '■misers of the Sydney type, three destroyers of the Parramatta type, and two submarines, at a cost of €1.250,000. _ The question of administration has not been discussed, thouah it has, been acreed that New Zealand sb:ill of necessity ho represented on the Nrval Board.