LANDING OF TROOPS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 274, 12 August 1908, Page 7

LANDING OF TROOPS.

IMPERIAL REGULATIONS. V/AIVEp By PRIME MINISTER. TECHNICALITIES MAY BE STRAINED. (UY TELEGRAPH —rHESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, August 11. The Imperial law prevents an armed party landing front'a foreign warship.' For this reason, Cabinet refused permission for the holding of a rifle match between American Fleet shootists and Auckland Voluntoers, but after niuch negotiation tho difficulty was ovoroome. The Premier decided to waiye tho regulation, and tho match wijl eventuate pn Thursday, AUSTRALIAN VIEWS. NO HINDRANCES PERMITTED. (by TEffiGRArH—PJtESg ASSOCIATION—COrYMOUT ; Mclbourno, August 11. The interpretation put by tho Premier of New 'Zealand upon the Imperial regulations in rffprenco to' the landing of parties of armed men, and Sir Joseph "Ward's , application of those regulations to tlio Ainprican Fleet teajns in rifle competitions, are by no moans eonenrfod with by t|ie Foderal Ministers. TJjey do npt interpret the Imperial regulations in any such sense. The rifle competitions arranged to take place between Australian and Aipericail teams during the Fleet's visit to Apstrjluj will not be hampered })y technicalities. , The Prime Minister, Mr. Deakin, said: '-'I know of nothing in the regulations which prevents rifle competitions taking place. I om, however, looking into the whole question." ' ;

The leister ff>r Defence, Mr, Efj'iSi TO' pven mqr.o pppcijjp than the Prime When questioned oil tlje subject, ho I, said: "I am quite satisfied that any desire on which the authorities liere are. in union with tho Admiral of the Atnprioan Flpot Fill not bo Jiamperqd by »ny regulation of a|)y description. With regard to the shooting competition, you may rest assured that there will not bo a hi.tcl) caused by W technicalities in connection with tho regulations, as far as the Defence Department is concerned. Permission to land teams with their rifles will require' to bo given by the GovernorGeneral. Ido not anticipato any hitch."

IMPERIAL DEFENCE COMMITTEE. WHAT IT REQUIRES. The question of permission for the landing pf forqlgn' troops, though new to Dominion readers, "lias'lieon raised before in Australia. The Commonwealth Government in 190G received a memorandum 011 the subject from tho Imperial Defence Committee, asked that oxisting regulations should be rescinded. Tho Imperial Defpuqo Committee recommended the following regulation:— _ . ' . ' "Commanders' qf foreign pliijjs-of-war and transports to b° at liberty to givo sliqrp leave to unarmed sailors for purposes of recreation, without the necessity of "previously obtaining formal permission from' trie Governor of the colony. f Whevb'l|r.is dosired to Vaijd large numbers'of men;' notiqp to tlirojigli'tho Consular officer at the place to the ipo'al'civil authorities, who will be prepared to accord fill tho 1 faoilitios qf which the local conditions will admit, and are authorised to consent to tlie landing of Dtyprijied pickets tq assist the local poljeq. The conditions as to landing without "artns not' to apply to officers, If it is desired' tq' Iftnd ' arinetl 'parties in connection with funerals, or to take part Jp.' public' ceremonies qf' rin exceptional nature, applications to be mado to the Govornor through the local Consular officer," The Commonwealth Government accordingly, jn .Tanuiiry 'qf IPR7. rescinded flip, former regulations. In the following March pirqulars woro sent to the" state Governments and all tho Consuls' in Australia informing them qf the praotiqe adopted by the Commonwealth, in accordance with the' rpcqmmendation of tlip Imperial Defonoe' Committee. Tlie circular also contained tlio' following paragraph ;—' ' "It is requested, hqiyq'ver, ' tliat' in cases whoro it is desired to land large numbers of men, notice may bo givon by the Consular of. fiqer at tlip place of lani|ing, to t)ie local civil authorities, 00-operation has beeft sought in the direotidn cf according all tJiq faoilitios of wliicli the. Jocal conditions Will adiiiiti and who are now 'authorised to consent to thq landing of unarmed"'pickets to assist the looal police." i • ' The result was—a,s not infrequently happens in Australia—a'qohfiiot with 1 Stato rights; for the Conference of State Premiors straightway adopted'a'regulation of their'own. "It differed from the Commonwealth regulation in that it sought to prevent the landing of more than thirty unarmed rapn at one time, whereas tho Commonwealth placed no limit qn the number. As, hqwevor, nqthing has'been heard of tlip States' claims pn this point' for some time, it is sdfo to assume that tlie Commonwealth regulation js thp'qno that rules. '"' li> "tlie abovq-quote'd regulations nothing can be 'found about permitting : armed parties to land for shooting matches. But the Australian Minister for Defence will,' no doubt, find a jvay out, as Sir Joseph Ward has done.