AN EFFICIENT NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 89, 8 January 1908, Page 7

AN EFFICIENT NAVY.

SPEECHES BY PREMIER AND ADMIRAL. NEW-ZEALAND'S CONTRIBUTION. : IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS. ' .-/(DY-TKLEOItAPJI —PRSSS ASSOCIATION.) v . Invercarglll, January 7. "Admiral and Lady Fawkes were enter-tained-at lunch at tho Bluff to-day by the Bluff Harbour Board. Mr. J.- E. Watson, the Chairman of tho : Board, proposed tho health of tho guests, and eulogised tho British Naval Servicc .as boing the best guarantee of tho continuation of peace in tho Dominion. Consequently, people should spare no sacrifice in seeking to contribute to' -maintain the supremacy of the Navy, as other .countries were casting envious eyes .at the progress and prosperity of New Zealand. > • Admiral Fawkes, in reply, said ho was proud-to bo the first Admiral to fly the flag the inner harbour of the" Bluff. He enumerated what the flag stood'for to New Zealan'd.':Vlt;'had 'placed 'the present '; people in the and insurod them peace and protection,- enabling them to make a progress inVa 'tibmparatively short 'time which the wonderment - ;of visitors from the Old-Land. He'emphasised the necessity for tho Empire hanging together. Thore,- was l no-.certainty that peace' would last, and it was the duty of;'citizens to be pre'pared to guard their hearths; and homes; The Navy must be kept np/i:particularly:in regdrd' to the way in which" its, organisation was controlled. He,had,.: received ' tho •' best' reports of the ;-New. 'Zealander and.' Australians in'.- tho :Navy:' --Regarding the ; Naval, •he was of' opinion '.that tho Naval control was besiji's at present, in the hands of the Admiralty, who should he able to move, the ships to sea 'wherever the attack threatened. It-was bettor to keep possiblo enemies from our waters than to boat them J on our,, shores. Time might bring new developments, but the best development was tho gradual training up of mon from all partSi of the Empire in the Navy. The Admiral convoyed, the. King's personal message , that His .Majesty was sorry 'he had been unable to. i visit I ,Australasia.' -

;• In.! response to .the toast of ."The Dominion' Government,", the Premier; said that there; should .be no:, alteration 'in the naval: agreement, as tho office of the- Navy, was to defond , commerce on tho highways .of tho seas. .; This . country . . was prepared' to' increaso : tho subsidy ; materi-ally.,-.lt''would bo: sound polioy for tho Government;, to say they would have a suitable ship'.arid would have one . thousand young fellowsi'aboard that ship.. If, in conjunction with''.the; present work, they were carrying, out, tho Government' could pet a suitable ship to accommodate; one, thousand youths, tho' Government were prepared to pay for. its upkeep, ;and the country would endorse that aotionj The Government would go further, they would provide pensions for the lads. after ; they, had completed their services. The population, would, one day ! bo many millions, and the Government had to assist those in charge. j' ' ' After the luncheon,' Admiral Fawkes proceeded direct to Queenstown by special, train., wiar'..,.