THE NAVY LEAGUE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 258, 24 July 1908, Page 10

THE NAVY LEAGUE.

ANNUAL REPORT. Tile following is a summary of the annual report of the local branch of the Navy League:— Although thero arc still some people who v rongly imagine that the League is a jingoistic movement, our objects (tho report states) are being better understood day by. day. As Sir Frederick Pollock said in a recent speech: "The business of the League is to bring home to the full understanding of tho British public tho full meaning of naval supremacy, and to* explain to the British' public that the command of the sea for the Empire is not a boast or a luxury, but a grim necessity." LOCAL FINANCE. The sum of £111 12s. 3d. remitted to London during the year (including £51 125.. 3d, on April 9, 190S) has been chiofly in 'payment for illustrated books for tho local school ; branches and levies on adult subscriptions collccted, to cover tho cost of tho monthly "Naval League Journal" supplied to members and associated. Unfortunately the adult subscribers are not increasing in the same ratio as the juvenilo adherents.' The very large number of the latter is'quite a feature of tho local branch, and tho good work beiug douo at the schools should ensure better support to the League from the public at large. The local secretary, who gives his services gratis, finds that tho volume of work is largely increasing, somo 1300 letters circulars, and notices having been sent out during the past year. The want of a permanent office and storage space for books is being severely felt, _ especially in connection with the organisation and control of the eighteen school sub-branches. . .WOMEN'S SECTION,. By a resolution of tho ladies oarly- in tho year it was decided to ,amalgamate with the men's branch. In the various public functions organised by the local branch, the ladies of the League have given valuable assistance. On Victoria Day the late Queen's Statue was suitably decorated with ga.rlands and wreaths made by membors of tile women's soction. SCHOOL SUB-BRANCHES. As in the past, the main work of the local branch of the_ league has been of an educative nature. It is recognised that the earlier in life their mental.horizon .is widened the bet-! tcr will the boys and girls 'realise, their privileges and responsibilities as citizens of tho Empire. During tho year strong subbranches have been formed at the KiTbirnio and South Wellington Schools, making in all 19 ; school branches under the control of tho Wellington Centre, with an aggregate moniborship of over 1400. Some 5000 copies of illustrated books bearing on tho Navy and naval history have been distributed among the school members since the formation of the local branch in 1904. NAVY LEAGUE SCHOOL PHIZES. With the co-operation of tho headmasters, Naval History Competitions were held at tho Wellington College, and at ten of the . State • School sub-branches. Tho subject chosen at , the . College was "The British Navy During'the Elizabethan Period," and at. the State Schools, "The British- Navy During the Stuart Poriod." Prizes wero allotted (in proportion to the number of competitors) as follows,-namely: Wellington ColI lege.—Vl Forms, F. L. G. West; V Forms, A. B. Sievwright; Lower Forms, F. J. S.Jones and F. E. Gooder (equal). Terrace School.—D. M'Arthur, Myra Hill, L. Bruce, G.. Vial, May Stephens, Kathleen Moore, L. Longhurst, A. Buxton, C. Stockman; G. B. Dall. Te Aro, Oscar Borer; Clyde Quay, V. Evans; Moiat Cook, K. Russell; Thorndon (Normal)j Iris Hutchings and R. Tuckwell: Mount Cook Girls, Grace Twist; Technical School, — Mowatt; Mitchelltewn, L. Oulverwell; Khandallah, W. M. Ryburn; Newtown (District. High School), Charles Short. f£go|L^DEFENcC^ Tho local Easter Manoeuvres this year (continues the roport) are deserving of special notice, inasmuch as the naval authorities wero in co-operation with the local land, .forces. ..Commander Quayle,. ..R.N.,.-.-of! H.M.S. Pegasus, went to considerable trouble' to make tho attack on tho Wellington forts as realistic as possible, and his action was much appreciated by all those taking part in the defenco operations. Notwithstanding the success of the Easter Manoeuvres throughout the Dominion-from an instructional point of view, it is a deplorable fact that out of the whole of tho arms-boaring population of New Zealand no more ; than (5000 felt • called upon to turn out for'tho operations. In no branch is tlio dearth of men moro felt than in tho harbour defences, where gunners to serve the new guns in process of . erection at Fort Dorset (Wellington Heads) are required as woll as Infantrymen to protect the harbour forts from rear and flank attacks.

The official results of the -Now Zealand Garrison Artillery shooting for 1907-8 liavo rocently been published. They show that the Garrison Artillery Service throughout the. Dominion is in a'highly efficient state; and, considering that the force is composed entirely of Volunteers. who carry out their practice under the same conditions as for | the Imperial Royal Garrison Artillery, results aro highly satisfactory to'the taxpayer as well as to the Navy. The true relationship ■ between the Nary and the coast artillery gunners is not fully realised in times of peaco, but tho lesson of the Russo-Japanese war shows how dependent any naval force is upon defended ports; for, if ships are disabled, thoy . require the protection of the garrison gunner while they refit. Tho fleet to be successful strategically requires secure bases from which to operate, aud se.sure bases cannot be assured unless the ports are defended with up-to-date armament, and the men behind the guns aro able to shoot. The New Zealand gunner has shown that be can shoot. It is therefore hoped that the Government will realise its responsibility and see, that the armament he is expected to use must' be brought up-to-date: 1 -The following are, the official; figures showing results of shooting and efficiency for the past four years Marks for;-Figure of Merit Year. - • Efficiency. for Shooting. 1904-5 ... 70 ... .361 1905-6 ... 72 ... .460 1906-7 .... '73 ..., .620 ' 1907-8 ... 82.6 ... .855 THE AMOKTJRA. Here in New Zealand tho Government, by tho establishment of the training ship Amokura, recognises tho utility and necessity of expediting the training of seamen to be available either for the Navy or the Mercantile Marine. Though the scheme is but in its infancy, the results so far have been eminently satisfactory, and reflect great credit on' the commander and his staff. Whilst appreciating tho amount of good work done, the league also realises that the availablo spaco on board is quite inadequate for tho purposes required—especially in regard to gymnasium space, writing and reading-rooms, and for drill purposes. Tho large'number of applications for enrolment on hand would fully justify the acquirement of a larger vessel or tho establishment of a shore sea-train-ing homo to be used in conjunction with tho Amoltura. ■