Evening Post. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1913. DEFENCE OF THE PACIFIC

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 19, 23 January 1913, Page 6

Evening Post. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1913. DEFENCE OF THE PACIFIC

Again one has to go from home for news about our own domestic affairs, and again the source of information is Australia. The Melbourne correspondent of 'the Sydney Sun is the latest authority to pf of ess a knowledge of Hew Zealand's naval policy before she knows herself. He has received information, "semi-official and otherwise," which enables- him to predict with confidence that before the end of the year Zealand will stand committed, with the approval of the Admiralty, to "a new and important departure" in naval defence. Though the announcement has at first a very positive appearance, closer inspection reveals that it consists mainly of inference from facts which are not in dispute. Everybody knew before that the Commonwealth Government favoured the expansion of the Australian Navy into an Australasian Navy. Has not Mr. Ahdfew Fisher as good as said so half-a-dozen times since the beginning of last year? Co-operation with New Zealand in the matter of defence being one of the declared objects of the policy of his Government, -We may safely assume that the fact was not concealed fr6m Mr. Allen in his recent interviews with the Ministers and military authorities of the Commonwealth. If it was mentioned 'at all, clearly the methods of co-operation must also have been discussed, and if so what possible sugges« tion could be made on the part of the Commonwealth except that New Zealand should be cut out of the China Station and joined to the Australian Station? Here, then, is the basis of fact in which there is absolutely nothing new. "No doubt," the Sun's correspondent proceeds, "the Admiralty will recommend the consolidation of the local fleet, and New Zealand will accept the advice. The only question is whether the advice will be given immediately or delayed until a defence sub-conference is held in London or in Canada." No doubt the Admiralty will not stand in Kew Zealand's way if she is ready to join hands with Australia, but the Sun's correspondent goes further when ha says that it will actually recommehd that course of action. It is not to be supposed that authentic information as to the Admiralty's intentions with regard to New Zealand's policy can have been picked up in the Btreets of . Melbourne, and indeed this part of the statement is, on the face of it inferential. It is also to be noted that there is no direct allegation as to the intentions of the New Zealand Government, as to which it would, of course, have been possible that some information had leaked out from the in.terviews in Meilfourne The result of a» close scrutiny is, therefore, to leave very little of eolid foundation^ for a statement which we should be glad enough to accept. Mr. Maeeey's refusal either to confirm or to deny the report may perhaps be considered to reveal an inability to deny it. But here again the basis is & very slender one. A contrary inference may more easily be drawn from the statement of Senator Pearce, the Commonwealth Minister of Defence, which was cabled yesterday. He evidently regards New Zealand to be more closely allied for the present to Canada than to the Commonwealth in her ideas of naval policy. "The Commonwealth considers," he aaye, "that it would be advantageous if New Zealand and Canada can come to an agreement for s the defence of the Pacific." This aurely shows that the man with whom Mr. Allen was particularly concerned to exchange confidences during hie visit to Melbourne does not believe that the New Zealand Government has determined in favour of naval co-operation with Australia, subject otlly to the foregone conclusion of the Admiralty's approval. Australia has taken her own line— says Senator Pearce, in effect — and it is for Canada and New Zealand, after taking counsel together, to settle theirs. We infer that our Minister of Defence has maintained the same attitude in Melbourne that he had previously adopted in New Zealand. It is not with Australia alone, but with j Australia and Canada, that he, desires to see New Zealand co-operato. This vital point in overlooked 1 by tho Sun'» corriepoadgnt, though, hie reference tg'

the possibility that a subsidiary conference may be needed before the matter is finally settled means probably more than he knew. It is satisfactory to see that the Commonwealth Government is still pressing for a special conference on defence, for both Australia and Great Britain should be represented at any discussion of the problem between the representatives of Canada and New Zealand. The issue is not a local one; it touches the whole Empire. It is, however, not surprising that the Imperial Government should consider the present time inopportune for a general conference. They may well desire to see the clouds rolled away from the Balkans and the most arduous session on record brought to a close before sending the First Lord of the Admiralty to Melbourne or even Ottawa. But we trust that our Government will support the Commonwealth in urging j that the postponement be not beyond the end of the present year.