The Dominion. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1909. NEW ZEALAND AND THE NAVY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 685, 9 December 1909, Page 6

The Dominion. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1909. NEW ZEALAND AND THE NAVY.

■ The Minister presented to Parliament yesterday some further papers relating to the recent Defence, Conference, and although these are' most interesting, and fairly full in respect of the military side of Imperial defence, they are not so helpful as'we might have expected. There arc many obvious omis-, sions. That section of the summary of results which deals with New Zealand, for example, consists of only two letters,, one written by Mr: M'KENNA'and one by Sir Joseph Ward. , These have been published before, together with a selection from the correspondence that took place between Got; Foxton and the Prime Minister.' They are the winding-up letters; and are therefore of. small interest to a public that has reason to; wish for some knowledge of the earliest negotiations between the Admiralty and our representative. In time, we have littlo doubt, the minutes of the proceedings, excepting where they arc considered ■ proper v for confidential treatment, will be published. We can see rio reason," however, why there should not be made available to us an authentic report 6f what Sir Joseph Ward may have said as principles that governed his refusal to move in some definite direction—his refusal, indeed, to advance, any general progressive policy on this country's behalf, lie said a great deal on this point when lie returned ■froin. London; indeed, he - seemed ■ anxious to loso no time in defending himself by way of, meeting beforehand any, charge that might be made as to the course he had insisted on; But we should like to know what he said at tho Conference table. In the telegraphic correspondence. that preceded the holding of the Conference' there arc many points of interest. It is clearer than evor, from Lord Crewe's dispatch of March. 21 last (published and commented upon in The Dominion of March 27), that tho .British Government,: while appreciating the spiritof the Dreadnought btfei'i would have preferred some other display of naval energy. In that- telegram the Colonial Secretary speaks of a full dispatch which he would send by mail, and the public would like to know what was said in that dispatch, which, presumably,,is not now confidential even if it were when it was sent out. There is no need hem to discuss in detail once more the action of the Prime Minister in having the;-.session postponed. Is it not perfectly obvious, however, that ■.all Sik Joseph did could have been done by any member of the Cabinet, and that the upsetting of. the sessional arrangements, to the manifest detriment of the public's interests, is quite unjustified by results. .In a telegram to Lord Crewe the"'• Govornor sent a statement by tho Ministry in which it was actually asserted that the adjournment of the session was "absolutely necessary" 1 "It would be a .matter of much regret if, through not being able to postpone tho meeting of the new Parliament," tho telegram concluded, "New Zealand could not; ■ be represented at tho. Conference." This '■ ingenious angling for pressure,: however, failed to catch so wary a dispatch-writer as Lord Crewe, who throughout carefully avoided: agreeing that the position . was.as stated by the Prime Minister. In a dispatch on May 17, Lord Crewe pressed the hope that Ncw.Zcaland would be represented and that it might be possible for Sir Joseph Ward "to be spared from his important duties." In a reply on May 20 the New Zealand Government 1 coolly treated this as a' "request": "Efforts are: being mado to meet his Maj- : esty's Government's request, "v Was there, '.any, requßßt,;tnat: tailed',for ef-

forta to ■ whip members into agreement upon a prorogation? .■■■■.;. As to the actual sehemo decided upon by the Conference, : it is plain enough, not only that the-Prime Minister has no right to say that the local'navy idea is disliked by the Admiralty and the experts, but also that his insistence upon the Dreadnought or nothing has rathor injured the final arrangement.■.'• In his memorandum of July 20, Mn. M'Kenna set out as his. main- hope, that it might "be found possible to formulate the broad principles upon .which the growth of colonial naval forces should bo fostered." What was wanted was to "lay the foundations of future Dominion navies." Wo have little doubt that Sir Joseph Ward has' hoped that the careful politeness, and cordiality of the British replies to his communications will bo '; taken _ as. enthusiastic endorsement of his ideas. But members of Parliament and the general public will not bo misled. The Admiralty was not in a position to refuse anything within reason that the Prime Minister might propose. It could domand nothing; and it could refuse nothing. Moreover, wider considerations required it to express cordial approval and gratitude . whatever might be forced upon it in tho. way of additional,naval jonSubutions. ■'. The result is'that New Zealand is just where it was, except for the gift of one large ship. Its.outlook iii unchanged, excepting that something .like an undertaking has been given to try and. do a little manning of the China unit, vessels. On

the other hand, the solidarity of that unit has been disturbed by the Pmme Minister's request that in time of peace some of tho smaller vessels shall be stationed in these waters.- In the event of sudden war, these vessels will fly to their baseband this proud Dominion will be dependent for local protection,'-at. least at first, upon the vessels that the statesmanship of Australia will have built;