NAVY LEAGUE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20563, 3 June 1932, Page 7

NAVY LEAGUE.

CANTERBURY BRANCH. A meeting of the General Committee of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League was held last evening. Prosent: Mr J. J. Dougall (chairman), Mesdaincs 11. T. J. I'hacker, and 11. Wyatt, Colonel, J. Murphy, and Messrs T. 11. Foster, A. K, Anderson, H. L. Bowkor, W. J a Lo Cren, and A. 0. Maxwell. 'i'iio chairman reported that nest week ho would be taking part in a deputation to the Prime Minister (the i'lon. G. \V. i'urbes), to urge that tho Government maintain tho New Zealand Navy at its present strength, and ftlso that it tako steps to restrict the operation of American shipping in Now Zealand waters. Ilegarding tho first matter, Mr Dougall said the thunder had been iaken out of the deputation's guns by the Government's decision not to adopt that part of tho Economy Commission's report referring to tho transference of the control of the New Zealand Navy to the British Government. The necessity ol restricting American mercantile marine activity would, however, Ijo impressed on Mr Forbes, and the deputation was going to urge tho Prime Minister to bring the matter up at the Ottawa Conference. Unfortunately the deputation was going to go to Wellington without tho supj>ort of one of the branches. Auckland were emphatic that the Navy League should not take part in controversies relating to tho mercantile marine. Ho believed, however, that there was not another Navy League branch in the Empire that held this view. ''There is no doubt," Mr Don gall concluded, "that tho now American ships will bo superior to any others operating on the Pacific trade route, liut they are all being subsidised by tho American Government and are all being constructed so that they can bo converted at will into cruisers. , I want to point out to the Prime Minister that tho New Zealand Government has full power to pass a Navigation Act similar to the Australian Act." A vote of thanks was accorded to JJrigadier-General A. W. Andrew for tho address he had given on" Empire Day. 1 lie statement of receipts and payments, which showed a credit balance of £22 Is Bd, was adopted.