OUR HARBOR DEFENCES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3493, 16 September 1882, Page 2

OUR HARBOR DEFENCES.

Considerable discussion took place in the House of representatives on Saturday evening on the vote of £50,000, which appeared on the Supplementary Estimates, for the construction of harbour defences in New Zealand on the plans prepared by Colonel Scratchley, Captain M'Kenzie stated his belief thai; the amount named would be found wholly inadequate to meet the requirements of the case, and considered the money would be much better sppnfc jf devoted to tbo equipment of volunteers. He moved that the item be struck out. The Minister for Defence said it would be within the recollection of the House that a short time ago when there was a bit of a scare in connection with the Egyptian trouble, he made » statement as to what the Government proposed to do with regard to tha defences of the colony. In accordance with what he stated on that occasion. Parliament was now asked to vote the sum of £50,000 to protect the harbours of the colony. It was proposed to expend this amount over three years. Four torpedo boats were already ordered out of this amount though, of course, if the House rejected the vote, that order could easily be countermanded. For himself, he did not hold any extreme views in regard to the defence question. It was possible, he fancied, that our very defencer less state might prove our best protection under the circumstances. The whole of the colonies, however, seemed to be putting their defences on as sound a footing as possible, and he believed it was the wish of the people of New Zealand that we should

Bj do something in the same direction. In addition to providing the torpedo boats, it V was proposed to mount guns. Mr Turnbull I was of opinion that if the torpedo boats I were got out there would appear on the ' Estimates for succeeding years sundry little L votes for " gratuity to widow of So-and-so, I blown up." (Laughter.) Mr Kelly thought f the £50,000 would be better expended in opening up the Country. Sir John Hall contended, on the other hand, that in the event of the British Empire being engaged in war with any other naval Power the greater number of the New Zealand harbours would be completely at the mercy of the enemy, which would be able to dictate its own terms. Whenever there appeared from time to time a possibility of Buch a contingency, and public attention was called to our defenceless condition, there had been an almost universal expression of opinion, both on the part of the Press and the public, that we ought to do something in the matter. To Bay that our very helplessness was our defence was, he thought, to treat the matter in a very mean spirit indeed ; and if the House did not pass the vote asked for, they would neither be satisfying tbe public nor doing what duty demanded of them. Mr Bryce here observed that he hoped the member for Selwyn did not understand him to express his own opinion when he said it was possible that our helplessness might be our best defence. As a matter of fact it was not his opinion. He thought we should adopt some moderate — J moans of defence, though at the same time we ought not to go to extremes. At the time of a scare we were liable to incur greater expenditure than was really necessary to meet the requirements of the case. Mr Montgomery agreed that the colony ought to be able to defend itself. His own impression was that, in the event of war between England and any other naval Power, we should have to spend at least half a million on our defences, in order to put them on anything like a satisfactory footing. The expenditure of £50,000 over three years was. he maintained, notning more than ' blistering a wooden leg.' Colonel Trimble pointed out that the colony had in stock 10,000 muzzle-loaders, with a proportionate quantity of ammunition, which was absolutely worthless. The muskets themselves were, he submitted, worse than useless for modern warfare. They ought, therefore, to be sent out of the country at once, and replaced by proper weapons. The heaviest gun we possessed was a 7-in one, so that armour-clad vessels would he able to pass these guns with absolute impunity, especially considering that the ships were moving objects. The proposed vote ought to be expended in bringing heavy guns, rifles, &c, into the country, instead of torpedo boats. Mr Pyfee was convinced that £50,000 would he no good at all. They wanted at least £2,000,000; there were so many available points of attack to be taken into consideration. He held that the best defence against war was to be prepared for it. He pointed out, however, that if we ran any risk, or were involved in trouble, it would be because we belonged to Great Britian. Nothing could possibly happen to us if we ' cut the connection.' And he felt very sure that the \firsfe great European war would witness a parting between Great Britain and the Australasian colonies, because these colonies could not afford to be involved in her quarrel, and we should float an independent flag. Mr J. Buchanan fervently trusted that day was far off. (Cheers.) If that independent flag were hoisted what figure would New Zealand cut in the eyes of the world ? We should be like some Peruvian or Chilian State—flouted with the utmost ignominy, and treated with the greatest disdain. With regard to the defence question, he held that inefficient defence was worse than no defence at all, and the vote now proposed would be quite inadequate to protect qhe colony. All we need fear, however, was the possible visit of some predatory cruiser. The sailing of any squadron in force for these colonies would be immediately known by Great Britain, who would consequently adopt measure to intercept it. The Defence Minister said no doubt this Bubject was a very important one, respecting which many eloquent speeches could be made. But as it was getting on for Sunday morning, he hoped the Committee would at once go to the vote. Captain M'Kenzie having expressed his opinion that the suggestion to separate from the Mother Country was " cnildish," the vote was put by the Chairman, and carried on the voices.—Post.