THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 498, 4 May 1909, Page 6

THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER.

■: Sir,—As tho war scare 13. passing away, I presume the Germans must have heard ~ that New Zealand offered to come to the rescue, and backed down at once, ii As Mr. J. Vigor Brown,, M.Eiuand. Mayor; otiNapier, <put it,. "If you saw a'man'drowning in the harbour, would yon wire to-Tommy Taylor for advice , or plunge in and save him. In just such a way did wo plunge, in with our offer and save the Empire.' : Just think of it. : How wo would go to work to give this battleship. We would tirat have to borrow the money in England._ Then the ship (lock, stock, and barrel) would liave to bo built in English yards, ami we would then be responsible for the interest on the loan. But do wo not have'to keep boirowing to pay the interest on our present loans? A magnificent bit of statesmanship was' it not, especially when we consider'how well wo can afford to give it. and what a glorious thing it is for armies or unemployed to make sacrifices for the glory of the Empfro, and for the liberty of being able to beg a brother of the earth to give nim leavo to toil hard from early to late for a bare subsistence. It is really astonishing to find people doubting tho, wisdom of the offer, and the Federal Prime Minister , actually scouted the idea of Australia offer- ■ 'ing a battleship.—l qm, etc., . ■ \ - E. STEVENSON. Hastings, May 1.