MAN THE NAVY!

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 143, 11 March 1908, Page 7

MAN THE NAVY!

BIG TRAINING SHIP NEEDED,

TAKING THE PREMIER AT HIS WORD.

.INTERESTING LETTERS,

Sometime ago tho Premier, ■, fired with patriotism, spoke at a Navy Leaguo function about securing ■ a warship for, New, Zealand •for 'toainiug purposes, and stated that if apy plication wero mado m ■ tho right, quarter, thero should he no great difficulty in securing such an adjunct to tho system of training men for tho Navy. Tho Premier's words went as follow :

" Yoii want to' awaken, a Rigorous en-' thusiasm, then you will realise that there is in Now Zealand a warm and patriotic attachment to the old flag." Ho roferred to tho Amokura, winch now had sixty boys on board,'v.-all undergoing sound training in (ill that attained to a mah-of-warsman.Ho thought that if representation were made in proper quarters ono- of 'the largo men-of-war that.

; were' b6ing disposed : of," 0110 capablo of \ ' taking ; some v soq..o'r;(3Co, boys, i'might be. sccu'red for Now' Zealand, and.,aho could [■-i/'niako coastal voyages. The boys on her could liavo the option of voluntarily,

going on : board tho men-of-war and y- taking their places in tho : British Navy.- • ' If thoy appealed' to : the mothers of.-Now Zealand, they would fully understand : : that their 'sons' woredoing their/ part to . uphold: the honour of'the. flag.- ■ Sir Joseph Ward's words not fall on ; barren'ground. In duo courso'they reached thp centre of the world -— London'—' where Commander Crutchley, secretary of the Navy. League, took , the matter up, and'addressed the following letter to Mr. Cecil W v 'Palmer,'. local secretary of the'Navy'Leaguo '.

"Nov. .27,, 1907.

"Dear.Mr. Palmer,— • ' . -v''--'v . 'M came across a newspaper cutting -• this morning from a. New Zealand .paper;" : which states that, on September ,23; tho ■ Hon: Sir. Joseph > Ward, ..speaking -at ' the, . 'JNavy Leaguo meeting in Wellington, said - he believed that if. application; were pro- : ■ 'porly made .New Zealand would'bo able • to get'from. the Imperial; authorities ono . :,:V bf now being , dis- . posed of as 'practically /obsolete. If this ■ is so, and. the wish is expressed, by. the \ Now Zealand Government, wo in London , -horo might possibly bo ablo to; further ; your''.views.. I think that ; it would bo ' possiblo to approach tho Admiralty on : the 'subject, 'and. l'fee! confident that, the request: would rec?ivo every .'considora-. ■ tion. 1 "Believe mo .to be,-' • ''.Yours very,sincerely, -.- : " WM. CAITJS CRTJTCHLEY, R.N.R.I' ' On'r^ipt'of 'this fetter, ,Mr. Palmer addressed tho Premier as follows :— . ■ " January 9 ( 1908. . "Tho Right Hon. "Sir Joseph Ward, P. 0., ■ '' ;. " Wellington. , >,'■ - "Sir,—l beg to enclose for your perHusaFa letter just received from the Lon-.,-don headquarters.:of.' : thp Navy League, ■\: in ' which Commander Crytchloy refers to your remarks on-the occasion .of our last ... annual.meeting at tho Town Hall. "Your suggested extension'of the:train-> ', ing'ship. scheme has'the .hearty approval of tho League, and tho proposals should '• V; meet: with .thg ■ undoubted,. support, 0f... all : ; v those who .realise ,tho necessity of foster-. ?■' mg a proper, maritimo -spirit in the Do;minion,-' quite. apart from the practical . . ; benefit; of- having ii\' tho near 'future a '■ body of trained Now Zealand seamen ..v.'.i'vailablo for either'-tho-Navy or morcan-; : . tih marine, i "I am, sir, " Ypur-obedient servant, "CECIL W. PALMER. ; .j 1 " .; • "Hon Secretary." '. , ■ •In Sir Josephs Ward-s reply 'to. Mr.'Palmer not ■ a'- trace of.;' the oratorical fire, xeniains.' It is '-just a reply—polito and formal. 'It reads as follows: — i)- : ''^^" Feb; 25, 190 S. : " Cecil W. Palmer;' - : ; Hon.. Secretary, v . : -"Navy League, Wellington.-.'-. " Dear Sir,— 1 -, ■ ■ -; " I duly. received your .letter of. the ', 1 9th: January,, forwarding, for my' per-. : usal;a'letter.you have.received, from-the-'-; London headquarters, of-the Navy League in which Commander Crutohley refora to • my remarks ,on the- occasion of tho ; last aMual;'meeting- at; "Town' Hall. /.I • ■. havo.iread'.the'/communication. with .very,: i. great interest, and beg to ■ thaijk you.' for.,-your... courtesy- in .sending me .-tho y same.. . '.' -, ?,.[ . - " Youra faithfully, . "J. G. WARD »