FUTURE NAVAL POLICY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 4

FUTURE NAVAL POLICY

NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE

SIR JAMES ALLEN'S VIEWS

"Wc are proud to know that the Navy has been equal to Hie demands made upon it." said Sir James Allen, ActingPrime Minister and Minister of Defence, at a social given by Iho Auckland branch of the Navy League. The Minister dwelt on tho importance of tho future policy of tho Navy and sea defence, and tho part that New Zealand might bo asked to perform. "When I visited England five, years ago, every opportunity was made so that men trained in New.Zealand waters should have advancement in tho ships of the Imperial Navy, and it was hoped that this policy would be kept in view. New Zealandcrs had done a. little in regard to naval defence during the present -war, and a tribute was due to the endurance and courage shown, by the New Zealandcrs who had joined the hazardous motor boat patrol service. Wo might well be proud of what our sons had dono in this respect, and in other naval spheres of work. Whilst all vero hoping that tho present war would result in a permanent peace, there was always tho danger that the military spirit of Germany and Austria would not be completely destroyed, and that wo would again have to fight for our preservation in the future. The need of inculcating in the minds of children a spirit of patriotism was dwelt upon. Sir James Allen said he felt sure the Navy League would do its part iii this respect. (Applause,) New Zealandcrs, he said, had reason to be ashamed of the small amount that they had contributed towards tbc upkeep of the British Navy. (Hear, hear.) A small beginning had been made, but we would have to lake a much larger share in tho maintenance of the Navy in the future, both as regards men and money. We 'would also nave to face tho question in time to come, not only of contributing to tho cost of ships, but also of finding the ships themselves, and though this time mij-ht be, a long way ahead it would assuredly come. New Zealanders, in the meantime, must provide more money to afford our young men opportunities of taking part in future naval development. Such development, of course, would rot be sound if it did not provide for the right of the Mother Country to concentrate the whole of these ships as parC of the Imperial Navy whenever such concentration was needed. (Applause.)

Endorsing the remarks ot Sir James Allen, the Hon. Arthur It. Myers said' that New Zealand had not contributed adequately to the upkeep ot tho Navjj. Tho maritime spirit was sis strong in New Zealand as in Great Britain, and Auckland possessed advantages for fostering that spirit. We could- not at present consider the building of Dreadnoughts, but we could look ahead to :he time when wo would be in that position. After the war, there may be a. tendency to overlook our duty in regard to naval defence, but he felt rare that this was a tendency that the Navy League could well bo trusted to counteract. '(Applause.)