THE DREADNOUGHT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 497, 3 May 1909, Page 9

THE DREADNOUGHT.

i, THE CONSTITUTIONAL /ASPECT.; .;.' Tlio *ction'6f 'tlio;Qov6ri!mentrr6oently in offering to'the-British authorities the giftof ,a. Dreadnoughtis a : subject in which a very .wide-interest ..is ..taken.. (Applause.)..'l'. am very ': glid ,'to' 6ay; that from the .expressions of - opinisn // that .have' reached me ■'■ from; all over the .country .there is a 'strong' indication':Bbown"'in favpur,\ of "the Government's action;in.;this matter.,' (Applause.) It is true there/is a smivll section of the community who profess disappointment at what has been done. I think it only requires, further.'.cpnsideration , and jexamination ;by .even that .section in our own country; who have taken .exception to ■what tho,Government has.done to,make it realise the. vital necessity of all parts of: the Empire standing .together to :.make its greati ness- unassailable and.toensuro the supremacy of. the;seas;.in -their'general'.interests being maintained. . Our .very attachment,'to. the Old World makes ; it essential that our trade route should, bo kept: open. If it were no); kept opeii' what would be tho/fate. of J our farmers P. - ; - The -.price '; of ./; : ; .6ur.:; iP/educta - j_h n England 'is dependent .- upoii'"ibf boiitg? 'Kept" ; clear...'. What would 1 happen to our,:merchant's. , arid^tradefS^'Vlfo'^ payment for their produco from Now Zealand .to.eniblb.tnem to.pay;for.the goods'.iniported to v ; the/'manufacturers/of ..'goods' '.:'.:.withtn:,''oiir Dominion?' What.' would happen. ;to", the , .workers 1 in tho!ey6nt;of : sucli a calamity befalling u&P -They'would ,be.:thb; : \greatest ' sufferers of. all, and;if":,by; any .'chance, wo were f to: pass! under another .flag, at;; ■ bo; , ■ farewell to ; many of ;the happy;. conditions----, though'.sometimes.'despised-Hnat our workers ; enjoy -.in- -.this; country at,.: the., 1 j)rescnt : moment. :> (Hoar; hear.) .'■ .-".Our;] very;, existence is 'dependont upon the strength;- thopoweri and, tho /mightmess' of;: tho, - British Empirc," dnd':,to,;talk of,-building up avlocal-navy, to. talk;of -joining hands,,with:■ Australia-,in the . matter *of, a navy, for our protection,; would • ■iiot.'only;bo -next.'to.-futile, but-- -of-.v Utile- • practical; value ■to;Uß.';A(Applausb.) 7'Our real and 1 true.course is to help*thel'Old Land and ', tb'shbw/the'world outside thVOldLand the moral, 'effect,' of ■ birr/determination. to sink or swim;.iri a -reasonable,way with ;th'd-lion mother, where. tho c defence and protection ' Groati'.Britain's interest's '"alio snvolveii.iY; (Applause.)'.. Tho..;constitutional ■ aspect"of:,tho matter.:and,the talk/going on that .the should, have, consulted members; of 'Parliament' is. a .matter, upon which. Parliament will be duly informed. I may the power,,as it has,; the dutyj'/.to/act in [ any, emergency ',, or new.' situation,';'.and -for its:.action it; must roly, upon;, tho subsequent ratification, of Par-. liament. : Parliament is :.cntitled;;tb i have a . full explanation/of the action of: tho' Exbcutiyo,/and every member of Parliament-in his place in thb'Houso.is entitled.to uso his/urifettered '.judgment'; in the matter.'; Tho Executive must act .'and take'the responsibility and" risk';tho, subsequent ■';'ratification.' I' might by ;,toldgVam (have got ;a- majority of- ' members/committed, /and- thus /.tied : :their. hands};but'(l preferred to;leave,./tbim free, arid ;to. : follow; first-tho: constitutional course,, second-the odurageous course, and third Itlie course;Vvfhich left iall;members: of Parliament, /tb 'dear with tho question /untram-: melled.'/Vlihavo -the;.greatest ,'confiderico/ in, :tbo'popple ,«f, the; Dominion. I have; equal confidbnee'in''the members.: of' Parliament. ,1 havbeorifidenco both in the people and in the members b'f Parliament in the matter of defoico of our country, and in their loyal and ; practical-support'to the Old Land, by their : rising;>;aboyo/iparty and . doing "what I. am certain'tho'people; of New'"Zealand 'as '.a whole;-desircj.namely,-at all cost to stand . by ; tbe Old Land that has stood;by"us.; and given us.its; protection; for l the'.last' seventy years 'or,'an infinitesimnl 'amount during : some years of £40,000 and at'the' moment of £100,000"a'yearin return for.tho,great;ser- . vices, rendered.'(Applause.). As, 1 have already intimated; I will submit proposals to. 'the';' House.for .tho payment'.of .'intorest in sinking fund for tho , extinction of the amount required during our generation,' and not passing; it'on to tho next one/'.-. ':■'■ In concluding, tlio Prime Minister 'said:' Tho financial: results'of the year are upon the wholo" of an exceedingly gratifying character,ahd should,bo'reassuring to those who have important interests both within and beyond our country.' I look forward to tho coming session of Parliament with,tho hope that* good and - useful 'work upon the; lines' of progress that Ihave indicated will bo carried out.:.r.prefer':tb have loss legislation, but' what wo do haVo to bo /of .-a good and useful .character.- 'If the ,country's financial, operations are -pursued with care and caution, and: 1 may also add courage, which I claim,that any unprejudiced person must ad- • imit has! in'times of unusual difficulty been tho case, there is no reason why wo should not look forward with confidence to the further '..progress, prosperity, and development of the Dominion, and the increasing comfort of its people. (Applause.) « ; .Mr. ;0. S.'lxinguot (Mayor-elect bf Invcrcargill) moved: "That this meeting desires .to express its hearty thanks to .tho'.'.Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward for his very ablo and instructive address, and wishes further: to ' express its confidence in _ the Government of which he is tho distinguished head." Mr. 'C, /D. Moore (Mayor of Winton) seconded 'tho motion, which was carried unanimously; amidst tho heartiest applause;