STATE SECRETS!

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 140, 10 December 1909, Page 8

STATE SECRETS!

MR. T. E. TAYLOR'S CURIOSITY.

AND MR. HOGG'S RETICENCE.' The House went into Committee on the Naval Defence Bill early yesterday afternoon. Tho atmosphere was particularly sultry. The blinds were drawn jto exclude the light, the electric globes were glowing dully, and the electric tan did its maximum number of revolutions per second in vain competition with the foul air. Altogether, conditions were not conducive to energetic or rapid work. The Prime Minister had been explaining that our contribution to the Imperial Navy was £100,000 per annum;, that £150,000 per annum would be required yearly to pay interest and linking fund on our Dreadnought gift, and that our new proposals for, internal defence would involve £150,000 a year, or in all a defence expenditure of £400,000 a year. Mr. Allen complained of the amount, also of the fact that so much of it would' go to place a Dreadnought on the China Station, instead of securing war vessels to guard our own coasts. Mr. Hogg remarked that in the latter case there -would have to be further expenditure on docks. It seempd to him that Mr. Allen wanted unnecessary expenditure, which could be applied to much greater advantage on roads and bridges. "Were you not a member of the Cabinet that asked Parliament for this £2,000,000?" asked Mr. Allen, turning on the member for'^Masterton. "I was led into agreeing to grant it, or rather I was misled into it," was tlxe reply. Mr. Allen expressed sur-. ,prise at Mr. Hogg, , and added that that 'member used to be his guide, philosopher, and friend. Sir Joseph Ward inter-vened to defend his late colleague from what he declared to be an "unwarrantable attack" by tho member for Bruce. Had not Mr. Allen already said that the- Indomitable should be under the control of the Admiralty? ' Mr. Allen : Oh, yes. Sir Joseph : Then why blow hot and cold? Mr. Hogg : Tho member for Bruce challenged my vote on the Dreadnought. Under similar circumstances. I would vote tor it again. It was represented to be a case of very grave emergency. Mr. Allen : Who said so? Mr. Hogg ; It was on good authority. If the same information was given, me again I would vote for it again. Mr. Allen talks about his patriotism. I have sufficient patriotism for that if he has not. Mr. T. E. Taylor, who had been listening to this passage with evident re•lish, here took a hand. "It would be very interesting," he said, "if Mr. Hogg would tell us what kind of evidence was brought before Cabinet to justify this ofer. Was it documentary evidence? Was it cablegrams from Home? Let him tell us?" Sir Joseph Ward : He can't tell what happened in Cabinet. ' Mr. Taylor : I don't see why the Star Chamber should cover up its tracks in that way. By jove, I think that the sooner — (The rest of the sentence was drowned in laughter.) If we had .an Elective Executive we would get information. Sir William Steward (who was temporarily, in the chair) : The hon. mem-, ber cannot discuss the Elective Executive now. — (Renewed laughter). Mr. Taylor : I want Mr. Hogg to say what kind of evidence the Cabinet had. Did the King cable out, or the King's Ministers? Were you all very excited? — (Laughter. ) Sir Joseph Ward : What about Mr. Asquith's message? Mr. Taylor claimed that Christchurch was the only New Zealand city which expressed in a constitutional way its opinion on the Dreadnought offer, of which seven people out of every nine disapproved. "What happened at that Cabinet meeting?" he asked. "Most of the Cabinet were young and callow. They were only half fledged and easily influenced. If Mr. Hogg will tell us ho will earn the gratitude of the entire colony. He might die soon, and before he dies and the chance passes, will he tell us exactly what happened? What ground was there for supposing that v crisis existed? We know that a panic was on." Mr. Hogg, however, declined to give away State secrets, and the business was proceeded with.