NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2357, 13 January 1915, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE.

Sir,—Sir Joseph Ward, by his action on Now Zealand naval policy, has, to my mind, forfeited the support of every elector in this Dominion. Can you, sir, or any of your readers, explain why he adopts such an attitude on such a serious matter? A naval defence force is absolutely necessary for .our existence, and' no one knows it better than Sir Joseph. He must know the configuration of this country: we are practically a narrow strip of land in mid-ocean, all seaboard, all our principal cities and towns are on tho seashore, all at the mercy of a hostile fleet, and open to bombardment from numerous points. On the South Island only, I dread to think what anguish, misery, and destruction could bo inflicted on the inhabitants of the several centres of population, extending from the Bluff round to Hokitika, were a modern battleship with 12 and 13-inch guns to attack us. At the present time, what could we do to stop them? Nothing. And they would not need to land a man to do it. Soldiers would not be worth a rap to us if every man and boy was thoroughly trained in that line of

defence, it would not avail us one iota. Before many hours Lad passed tho country would realise what a fool'B pa'radiso we were living in. It is imperative we uavo a naval force to combat our enemy. At present we have nothing of sufficient power to cope with a German up-to-dato vessel, and it is high time the general public realised it. It is time they took the matter in hand, and supported Mr. Massey in his naval dofence eoheme for their own personal safety. I am, etc., PATRIOT.