NEW ZEALAND VIEWS

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14659, 7 May 1913, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND VIEWS

WHAT MR ALLEN THINKS.

Mr Allen, discussing tho matter with mo to-day said:—"l think the .scheme of an Imperial Squadron may be sound enough from the point of view of the defence of Britishers living iv this country oi* from the point, of view of supplementing the Mediterranean squadron. Possililv, also, it has some meaning to those.living on tho eastern side of the Dominion of Canada; but I do not see what good it is going to be to those vho live on tho west side of Ca'iida, or on New Zealand or Australia. If it goes -touring all over tho world it will probably be away at tho moment when it is wanted somewhere; and in any case it will take 32 days to get to AiiitralU. That is a pretty long time, even assuming the fleet is ready to move tho moment it is required " Moreover, in view of the polhy which Australia has already decided upon and is carrying out I do not soo how Mr Cnurchill is going to put j into effect his scheme of having this fleet manned partly by Australians and Xcvr Zealanders Tho Australians are /manning their'own unit with their own niori. "There seem 3.0 be a misconception which ought to be removed. Th«\y talk about local navies. They ;m> not local navies. . They are local units-of an Imperial Navy. "Wβ want j to utilise our owa natnnal sentiment of i patriotism and havo an interest in the matter ourselves. Yon cannot expect us to simply provide ships and men and monoy for the North* Sea and the Mediterranean." - Mr Allen, points out that Mr Churchill says the Imperial squadron could-, reach any part of tho Empire from Gibraltar moro quickly than any other European force. But, he adds, "We do not fear any European forceThat is tho crut of the matter." He saj's ho is confident from tho experience of Australia that tho men will be forthcoming when the times arrives for tho manning of any vessels for which oversea seamen aro desired.

Sir Joseph Ward briefly gave- mc his viows. "Thero is no doubt," ho said, ■"that the suggestion to have a movable squadron, is an excellent one, and a great advance :ipon tho existing position. Those who looked upon the iipccsstty of protcctiug tho heart of tho Empire can not be otherwise than in favour of such a squadron with its headquarters at Gibraltar. I favour a movable squadron, and if the Admiralty on whom lies the responsibility for the protraction of British interests, are satisfied that that is tho best place for it, then a layman cannot but support them in their decision. What I would 1;!:6 to see, however, would be an Emp:ro movable squadron controlled by the Admiralty, and a part of tho Imperial Navy, located in the Pacific- It would be an ideal way. in my opinion, of guarding tho important and growing interests of that part of tho Empire." "tribute" is Dead. "Tho Times,'* one of tho closest students of the whole question form the o/eraoas standpoint, says:—"No ono in this country can tel what permanent policy Mr Borden has in mind; hut, if it proved to resemble in any way the old and discarded idea of contribution, astoaishment both her> and throughout tho Empire would bo great. It is now generally agroe-i that a sv3tem of 'tribute'—for the term is often 'ised is nor only unsound from a constitutional standpoint, but also in no way calculated to put tho joint resources, of tho Empire, both moral and material to their most effective use. Mr Borden's speeches in tins country are closely akin both to the Australian policy und to the pronouncements lately mado on behali of New Zealand by Colonel Allen. Speaking to the Empire Parliamentary Association a law

days ago, Colonel Alien declared, with much impcessiven ess and forco, that what New Zealand wanted was 'the living thing, in which the Dominions wffuld have a vital interest, , and he went on w> explain that he meaut not merely of men as well as material, but also 'an interest in'tho/ operation of the fleet itself. . There is no doubt that the view thus expressed on behalf of New Zealand if in full consonance with the movement of opinion here. The old idea of 'tribute'—to apply Disraeli's famous phrase in another coitoxt— is " not* merely dead, but damned.' " ■.■•■■'■