NATAL DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2164, 1 June 1914, Page 5

NATAL DEFENCE.

[By "Naval."]

In New Zealand there can ho no grounds whatever for making the aava! defence question a parly matter. For years New .Zealand lias had no defence of any practical value, and during this period the present Opposition Party was in full strength an<l in power, ai.ul could have (tevolojjed the present .Government policy, which has been dictated by "'Naval" ever since ilie Russian-Japanese war. In his statement. on May 14, Mr. Allen put it that Sir Joseph Ward was not a thorough-going New Zealander, or in other Irords ljis interests had been largely centred in Imperial circles. The result has been- kk;U- he lias supported a naval policy for New Zealand Krfcicli has neither given frroicctioii to this country nor been of sufficient value to induce Britain to continue it. The only naval .policy of deface New Zealand can adopt for efficiency .and financial reasons is the establishment, of a coastal navy, not of warships sboi.it which we have heard so much lately, but of small, craft. The reason is that the number and the sfeo of ships to combat those likely to bo opposed to us would more than swallow up the whole I revenue of this Dominion, What is necessary is a coastal aa?y comprised of numerous little Yemrarotis vessels of [the submarine, destroyer a»d tcrpedo- , boat class, together with several trade protectors, the ia.st*adiitioned vessels to patrol and take care of our merchant shipping. Several of these ocean-going warships which must be <jf- the world's fastest; armed with iong'ran.ge guns, ceulet be utilised in time of peace its training; ships for the men iu the New' Zealand Coastal Navy. The .first step in cm naval defence policy is to thoroughly secure oitr naval bases, seaport towns and cities-,. by_ obtaining tho necessary craft (not ships), and/by so doing wo are providing a coastal .navy, Our next step should be to try and prevent New Zealand being cttt off from Australia and the rest of the world fey an enemy's ships.

No warships at present- in these waters are of any practical Vaitte for either of the aborts purposes. They ■cannot protest osrr harbours and coast's against modern warships, nor can tfeey protect our shipping. To ojiote- the opinions of three a-dmirals—as training ships they are costly and not nearly as efficient as other types of War vessels, also their constfuetional cost and that of crew find npkoej> is high. It is therefore self-evident that New Zealand's money spent in keeping them iii these .waters is ill-spent.

Had the fete Ward Government expended even half ilie Imperial subsidy in finding vessels to defend eur coasts, Now Zealand would to-day have a coastal flotilla in each of iiio principal harbours sufficient to be a serious menace to any attacking force. It would bo- iris® if Ministers Would deal with the naval question ffl a practical manner, and when addressing th* public through the Press da so discriminately. At prcse-nt it is imiwssiblc for an outsider to determine what Mr. Allen rerlly desires to convey, as he calls, tho various types of yesspts of the proposed cftastal navy "ships," aiid says that even "before, tho'first shot is fired the ships wotikl oivtotnatieatly pass over to the control o! tin; British AtT» miralty." It is difficult to see how it is possible for the control -at Re.w Zealand's Coastal Navy to pass into tie hands of the .Imperial authorities, Tho Admiralty is not on the spot, and. could not be consulted in tiffie of action, besides, it is doubtful if tfcoy will even be in touch with us seeing ■that one of tlis first acts of an enemy would be to cut our cables and interfere with oar wireless systems. Our coastal fleet of small- craft cflitld not leave our ports' iingijarded and' th-o trii4o protectors will flind aB they can do in caring for our merchantmen.