THE REMOVAL OF THE NAVAL BASE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 951, 19 October 1910, Page 5

THE REMOVAL OF THE NAVAL BASE.

■:■-'. PRESS OPINION;'.' ■';•■ . (By Telegraph.—Special.Correspondent.! ■■■•: • ; .\;V;V/. : ''■'■;':-. Auckland,' October 17. ~ .: Conijnenting upon' the removal of the base of the' Imperial, ; Navy f in 'Australasian, waters':to Auckland,: the "Sydney Baily':'i'elegrapa"'says: ; ''Garden island will practically 'become ■ the /property of the,, (Joraniouwealth"iGovernment _ anu its: 'rnachinery, will,be.allowed to :'fall. to,rust fit: for the upkeep, rof the present. Imperial Squadron in Australian waters. .:/i.'lie ;large; victualling stores, in Darling.' Harbour, designed for. supplies for the three'stations',"lndia, China, and Australia, • will .be handed' back -to ; the State'Government,-the aiid' -the doors 'win be locked. 'The extensive-am r munition , depotat- Spectacle Island, where are. stored the most modern' shot, "shell, arid explosives,, will-be cleared outj and the whole station will probably" be transferred .'to, Auckland. ': It. is worth' considering that, the : presence .of 'all this, ammunition is of .immense advantage to Sydney.in;view.of, the fact that.a sudden . emergency might arise,-and by 'reason, of the very unsatisfactory state. in which the • Commonwealth, .lias left'■ the fixed positions, of the .port,' a : call could;-bo made \ipon these stores. This advantage will be lost by', the removal , of: the base and the land will revert to the State."