THE NAVAL POLICY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 128, 30 May 1914, Page 4

THE NAVAL POLICY.

Minister- have at las:; condescended to | make un unequivocal piildio statement of the.ir intentions in the matter of naval | defence, and it i.- s_tisfaotory to know that tiny ar.-completely in hue with the policy inaii_"ii:-.t.te.l by tlieir predecessors |in ..ilic-. "Who ha,l prnposed v, build .-hips and -et up a toy navy." Tip qneslioil was asked by ihe Mmj.-'ler j'eir Defencp .ii l.he cniin-e of an ii.lilre-.- ill j Lawrence on Thurtainy evoninjr- a.-kci. apparently v tii.it t riiimpha.nL tone which ma i.i-.- :iie .piory sooni more plyinj to hit- own quo-lion, however. Mr. Allen MirrPiidPTod ihe whole posiiion by admit i..n_- thai the Prim,- Minister had plainly ;iitini.i|p.l ih.it. ftiiin.. certain .i.-lioi, ~„ ti,,, par: ~i Hie A imiraliy. 'ae i '.'. icih. pr,cio.-e th.. i.,,,' ~„_ of ~ P.ri.stol I ■ r.iir-e;.. and ',h. m innin. nf .1 a' Ihe j-oie oNpcn-c ~f th,. l>.»min...n. Mr. Allen himself ha-, a- .oy.il lieutenant, supIt ».i-, '■~:- rpiu.irl-i-, ..rt naval policy at Milton iti April la.-i. thai led the London "Mornins Post" t,i declare land doploTPl lh.it New /o.ii.and was propevinp; tei . e-.i-e lor e.i.-ii contribuliou to the . Rritirh Navy, and "divert thp money to j of i.-vv. i!v London journal declare-., tha- "a nil.i.i -übsidy ; the best thin-." | but added: "If New Zealand i- deter I mined lo -haii.e her policy, let her i-o- i operate loyally with Austral in in build- | in-, up a really strong and efficient naval ] unit fen- the defence nf lmppri.il inter-, tr.i'.i.i. and wherever ihe .lefpiiee nf the, Pacific vv.i-, ili-eiip.se.l. it ha..- boon ill like j mariner clearly understood, tha-!. the N-vv , Zealand l.r.veniment ha.d rnpolvod upon a chancre of police. In reply to the pro- | t-.-i- of-.be Liberal .Pre- i h'rouijliout the I P-ominion. Ministers had hither!-, vouch- j s.il'-d mi reply mvi' v.ijrup .lenials whie.h still left :Ur. Mas-soy's declaration of, policy iin contradicted. Now. how-orer. | 'Mr. Allen has evidently cot. his ehirf's ' perm.issio.-i to tmke. on his br-ha.lt. a. firll ' confe-sion .-,,,,1 rciant-ition. This not! aho_ ( -tiier pip.t.sin- duty Mr. Alien lias i dieso.haTc.od with a srraer and candour tha.t I compel a*,miration. ITie .proposed cha.nce 1 of |>olioy Ji-as been ,fiill v .admitted Km I Mr. \llen has authoritatively r-Li.te,) , Ira: j el will be .-ilitindnneel. pondincr consider.)lion of the wh. lie question of nav-.i.l del iertcohy t.]\e-ertm\n<T Imperial 1 'ouferonoo. j Thi-. of en,rrse. implies that the people i and P.irlin.nTri.it of Now Zealan.l wi;] Tie •rive- ihe e'ull nrvportnniiv to discuss tiie i matter before M'inklerK commit then in a momentous eit-niYcro of policy. Tills ' beiii" all fro- which we -have contended, I we are prniiineiy (.ratified -thtii- the lieivernment ha", even though tardily. ad- ' mittel it- former error, and -adopted » I correct. ,nn*l hutinnal and reisoiraWp ' ..fit.tle