NAVAL DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 92, 12 January 1921, Page 5

NAVAL DEFENCE

COMMITTEE EXAMINING FUTURE CONSTRUCTION AUSTRALASIA NOT REPRESENTED NEW SCHEME OF DOMINIONS’ CONTRIBUTION 8y Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, January 10. The Naval Authorities and the Admiralty explain that tho reason Australasia is not represented on the 90mmittee which is examining future naval construction, is that Australasia ■is not contributing to the cost of the British, Fleet; but the findings and full evidence will be available to the Dominion Governments as soon as possible. Asked whether the Admiralty’s view in regard to the contribution took into account the cost of the Australian and New Zealand navies, the authorities replied that a scheme -would be brought before the Imperial Conference in June, to provide that the Dominions should contribute a larger share of the cost of Empire defence; but this would not entail any alteration in the existing policies of local navies. The Admiralty was not at present disixised th view battleships as finished with, and would place its reasons before the Imperial Conference. The conference may decide on the transference of British squadrons to the Pacific. If so, they would probably be based on the most suitable strategical harbours. —A.us.-N.Z. Cable Assn.