AUSTRALIAN. DEFENCE (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 78, 2 April 1914, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN. DEFENCE (From Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, 29th March. Somehow there 'seems be a rapid . growth in the conviction that it is desirable^ if not absolutely necessary, for the , Dominions to provide for themselves adequate naval defence and to co-operate . thoroughly with each other for their . safety , independently of what the means . or politicials of Great Britain may allow. It is said that some members of the Commonwealth Ministry are strongly disposed to send away to Great Britain the Australian battleship Australia, as a means of saving £400,000 a year for maintenance, using as reason the plea for "concentration in the decisive theatre" as put forward ou behalf of the Asquith Government. But ap' , parently they are restrained by recognition of the strong and increasing feeling in favour of a local navy. - This feeling •is manifested in the vtone of influential newspapers as well as by the man in the street, and notably so since pe6ple hel'e have become familiar with tile presence .and significance of , the first unit of the Australian fleet. It is urged in the press that the latest . developments in New Zealand with regard to naval defence should be followed up at once with negotiations for the linking up of the Australian and New Zealand "schemes. It is said that substantial economies could be effected' by co-opera-tion between the two naval forces under arrangements that would not involve any control by one Dominion over the fleet or policy of the other.

Enquiries made by a reporter regard' ing the cable message published in another column^- to the effect that there is a possibility of a New Zealand Rugby football team being invited to visit Great Britain for the 1915 seasonelicited the information that no negotiations have recently been made _by the New Zealanfl Rugby Union in this direction. Some time ago certain proposals were made, and there appeared to bo some prospect of an " All Black " team going Home last season. The visit did not eventuate, however, and the cablegram mentioned is probably the outcome of the negotiations previously entered into. Should any such visit be made it will be necessary for the team to leave these shores at the end of the coming season. It has been decided to hold a public meeting at Upper Hutt Hall on Tuesday next for the purpose of considering the question of the formation of a fire brigade. Commissioner Richards, of the Salva* tion Army, who is to attend the Intei*» national Congress in London, has booked a passage by the Niagara, sailing from Auckland for Vancouver on Saturday, the 11th April. Mrs. Luko nolifios in an advertisement in this issue, that she will be pleaded to rtippt ladies desirous of furthering Mr. Luke's paMdidature* for tho Mayoralty, at (iodbpr's Tea Hooms, Cburtenay'place. on Monday, at 3 p.m. Messrs. K. Johnston and Co. will hold a salo of household furniture in their rootns to-mofrow, cotnmeneiug at 1.30 o'clock. Mpsts. iliirccntrt and Co. will Bell by auction, on tho premise*, on Wednesday, ivi. 3 p.m., a poultry farm ut Ohariu Valley. Tho bt,otk I'omprUes 600 licad of poulliy, and the land Las an area of about 3 acref>.