THAT GIFT BATTLESHIP.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 478, 10 April 1909, Page 7

THAT GIFT BATTLESHIP.

Sir,—l.think, tho timo is fast coming—' nay, has already arrived—in. Now Zealand when sober sense, instead of hysteric patriotism, should make itself heard above tho din of popular enthusiasm. Wo are allowing ourselves to bo led into egregious follies with hardly a sound of disapprobation from men m a far better position to cry out than I am. Sir Joseph Ward offers a battleship to the Mother Country; it will cost two millions of money, and'people aro silent, or they, applaud, and hardly one man has the courage of his convictions even to enter the mildest protest against such an unconstitutional proceeding as that taken by tho Prime Minister. I venture to say, and without ego-' tism, that I am as patriotic as any man in kew Zealand to-day, but when I como to think of tho burden placed upon the peoples i of theso islands by tho offer of a Dreadnought and a possibility of a second ono, I' say, who is to pay? Why! New Zealaadcrs, of course. And aro we in sucli a healthy and financially solid condition that wo can ■ ' ■ tako up such a burden, and allow an offer.of I such magnitudo to bo made on our behalf • without oven being consulted P Wo aro the youngest colony of the Em- '■'•. piro, and perhaps tho most foolish, becauso ■ we aro not old enough to know better, and\ '~ if look at what our sister colonios aro I 'doing and saying it might bo better for'us.'. .'• Did Australia rush and commit horsclfP Did\ Canada make a bid for tho approbation of. ' the worldP And aro not both in a far bet-, tor position to talk in millions than we aro?l The day will come, and I fear it is not far J distant, when wo shall rue this fateful policy, of reckless and irresponsible extravaganco.' Tho Penguin was wrecked, and lives wo know., not how many -were lost, and not a lifeboat.N No assistance from tho Government was given till all was over, and a lot of uso then '" it was. There was not a lifeboat, .because wo possess no lifeboat stations or boats, but two millions of monoy would do incalculable scr- [ vice in saving many lives annually in lifesaving apparatus. f If w© wanted to show our patriotism, no | ono would havo grumbled at an increased'; subsidy to tho Homo Government on account' ' of tho British Navy, and such a declaration^ , coming from Now Zealand before tho other I ■ colonies (if wo wanted to bo first in the field) j ; would have caused as much approbation at* Homo and abroad as our offer of a Dread-! , nought to tho Mother Country at her own • ! expense. I fear it is tho old story of the' cow and tho frog, and if wo continue .to blow} • . ourselves out in tho eyes of tho world much* , more, wo shall surely bear the same fate as' , tho frog.—l am, etc., WATCHFUL.! Taihape, March 31. I'