NAVY CONTRIBUTIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 180, 29 July 1912, Page 2

NAVY CONTRIBUTIONS.

0 I THE CAUSE OF EMPIRE. SIR JOSEPH WtA-KD rNTTEE,%TEWED. j Sir Joseph Ward, who as at present in ' Auckland, was interviewed by a "Sta.r " represeTitative concerning his views on the part Canada is expected 'to play in the scheme of Imperial naval defence. Sir Josepli said he was glad to see ithe Oan-adijui Govtirninenit moving in the d'ireetion that the Home cables indicated. In his judgment the scheme which Mr. ' Bordetiand his Ministers w-ere a-ppajently , arranging with the AdmipoJty was rhe very 'best that could be decided upon. Personally, Six Joseph said, lie had always been against ifrolated local navies upon ithe 'broad and potent ground that, the defence and maintenance of Empire could only be effectively .carried out by ; having one jrrea-t In perial navy ailloca-ted ■ as those responsible for the protection. ; of the Tympirp at* a. whole thought best ' a;t ithe oittposte, and all the time under ; on" control. The Empire had grown tremendously—not by the aggregation of fresh territory, which no one wanted to see, but by the marvellous expansion j of 'trade and commerce, and <fcfoe (increase ' erf its people, ipa-rticularly in the outlying portions over wbioh the Brinish flag i flies. The action of Canada in (this mat- ! tor, added Sir Joeepb, was on itfee san» , lines as New Zealand adopted when, giv- : ing ats contribution for a Dreadnought, ] and the fact tHait the Home authorities had deckled to place the Dominion's gift in the Nortih Sea fleet confirmed in itihe most coiTvjnoin«r way the stand he had always taken for a' great united fleet, centred "wherever -the -oon-trollrnj; authorities 'thought best in the Jxaereste of ! the Empire, as Hie safest end strongest course. He "felt very proud to see these early developments, for he !ia.i persontlly, orai in different pints of the world, . and. in Canada itself, -the principle , of a united Empire (Jsavy, with i •portions of it placed in 'the -waters of the oversees deD-inioos. The sooner tins was carried out the , betJter Sir Joseph believed it -would be for tihe people in all parts of the Dominion. , =========== !