THE DREADNOUGHT TENDER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 667, 18 November 1909, Page 8

THE DREADNOUGHT TENDER.

. ,1 Mr. Malcolm (Clirtha) referred' in the House on Tuesday to the statemont'tlmt the tenders for construction 'of the New Zealand 'Dreadnought would ho sent.-out. to the Dominion, and the successful',tender, selected here.'-' As,he.understood that New believed in. one flag, one fleet,'and one control,' ho trusted that this statement/was;: not correct. He" took .it for granted, that; the 'Government had no knowledge of naval, construction, and very slight knowledge .of the standing of large firms of ehip-, builders at Home.::Ho asked if .the statement was true, and if, it was true,. he hoped that the Govemmoirt would yet- decide to'leave the construction' of:;the Dreadnought entirely in the .hands of the.. Home authorities. ;The il'rime Minister-said, it was a most extraordinary: doctrine tliat :',-the:'.Government.' l which, was responsible to Parliament .and tlie people, should not say, .'oh receipt of'information the; High Commissioner from the Admiralty,' that. it. agreed to their recommendations. ..He. did'not distrust the Admiralty in any.'way;.quite the contrary. It was their busidess to invite tenders.; The New Zealand Government did not interfere' with the plans or specifications;.it ;iad'. nothing to do with them, and nothing to' do with the construction of the ship. It was, however, the prerogative of this .country to accept -a'tender after" reviving the recommendation of the Admiralty Ho did not, know if the Admiralty had invited tenders y£t; He assumed that they.would; not do so until legislation was passed' by Parliament. No tender could be accepted until the .legislation was'passed.-.. ■■■ :■-..■•>. ;', In .reply to-Mr. Fisher,, who .urged, facet!-' :ous y, that the Dreadnought should not ;be buJt in.Germany, the Prime Minister said it would be built in England. V