DEFENCE QUESTION ♦' — MR. MASSEY, AT MOSGIEL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 76, 31 March 1914, Page 3

" FOLDED HANDS POLICY." IT DOES NOT APPEAL TO HIM. (IT TELIUIUPB— MUSS 4SSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN. 30th March. Referring to the defence question at his meeting at Mosgiel to-night, the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) said that the principle of land defence was now on the Statute Book, and was accepted by the great majority of people. Of course there were a number of people who did not approve of such a system, but the " folded-hands policy " did not appeal to him. The Government had a duty to see that the money voted for land "defence was properly expended, and it intended to do its best to fulfil that duty. Speaking of naval defence. Mr. Massey stated that the cost was, roughly, £250,000 per annum. As regards the battle-cruiser New Zealand, she was to pass under the control of the Imperial naval authorities. They had no exception to take to {hat, but the Imperial authorities were to place in New Zealand waters a certain number of ships. Two light cruisers, three destioycrs, and two submarines had been promised in 1909, but that agreement had not been complied with, and it appeared that there was no likelihood of it being ratified when the Government took office in 1912. When Mr. Allen went Home he got very little satisfaction in connection with this matter, and when he came back and leported the position they felt very strongly that part of the 1909 agreement should be complied with — that they Ehould have at least two light cruisers. They h;td absolutely no protection to-day so far as their commerce was concerned. The Government felt so strongly about it that, in addition to the £100,000 subsidy, it was decided to contribute £50,000 towards the upkeep of the two cruisers. They could, however, get no satisfaction, and one of the last cables received by the Government (on 2nd October last year) stated, in effect, that it had been confidently anticipated in- 1909 that the stationing of vessels of the Bristol type in New Zealand waters could be arranged without interfering with the general strategic position, but the available Bristola were required elsewhere— in the East India and China stations — and that, at present, it would be superfluous to station them in New Zealand waters, ns there were no enemies' ships, of equal speed to deal with them. There was no indication in that telegram that the agreement of 1909 was to be kept. TRAINING SHIP. However, the people of New Zealand and Parliament were of opinion that something should be done in the wny of training young men, and the Government had now arranged with the Imperial authorities to take over the Philomel for a training ship. This ship would not cost them a copper more than they were paying at the present time. Continuing, Mr. Massey asked what had they got? The Australasian squadron had been withdrawn from the Pacific, with the exception of the Psyche and the Pyramus, which were old ships, and in the case of the Empire bein^r involved in a war these two ships would have to get out of the way. '(.Laughter.) They had been told that they were quite safe so long as the Japanese Alliance lasted. No man, however, could tell how long it was going to last, and he should not be doing his duty as first Minister of the country if he allowed that it was light and proper to rely on a Japanese alliance. There was only one thing left for them to do. and that was to build a ship, or ships, of their own. Australia had' done it, but it was not because Australia had done it that the Dminion should do it, but because it was a proper thing for New Zealand to do. A CONFERENCE. There was a desire on the part of the dominions concerned to arrange a conference to discuss the question of naval policy in the Pacific, and he believed that a conference would be arranged for in the near future. He did not think that anything definite should be done until that conterence had been held, and some satisfactory position arrived at. The cost of running a Bristol cruiser in England was £72,000 per annum", which included everything. Ln this country it would cost perhaps £18,000 per annum more, making £90,000' per annum.' The £50,000 saved' on the subsidy could go towards the cost of a Bristol cruiser if it were found necessary to build it. In the event of war New Zealand ships passed automatically under the control of tho British authority. What they proposed was really a form of partnership — something which would give them a feeling «>f ownership and pride of possession, but, at the same time, would enable them tor feel that they were part of the British Navy, The British possessions in the Pacific were growing in importance, and, though there was scarcely a cloud on the horizon, they had to look forward satisfied that the time would come when the Pacific Ocean would be a storm centre, and where they would have to fight lor supremacy, as did their forefathers in the past, and he trusted with the same result. (Applause.) They ought to make up their minds how much they could afford to pay for a naval defence which, he believed, was more important than land defence. If they could afford to pay 15s per head per annum, then let them provide the means to find it. A lot of the expense of land defence would not recur after the next year or two. He was quite certain that the people of New Zealand would be prepared to do their duty in naval defence, and he hoped the naval policy would never be considered a party matter. It had never been so considered, so far as he was concerned. When he had been in opposition, he had always been prepared to do his best as regarded naval defence. He hoped that the conference which he had mentioned vyould be held early next year, and that it would solve the difficulty of defence in the South Pacific.