VIEWED WITH ALARM

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 103, 3 May 1919, Page 5

VIEWED WITH ALARM

POSITION IN THE PACIFIC

SPEECH BY MINISTER OF

DEFENCE.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

DUNEDIN, 2nd May.

In a speech at the annual meeting of the Otago branch of- the Navy Leaguo Sir James Alleu said he did not view without a considerable amount of alarm the position in the Pacific. We were taking under our mandate portion of the territories previously occupied by the Germans. Other islands in the Pacific would be probably handed over to a nation that during the war had been a friend of ours. We could not say that that nation would remain friendly for all time. He looked with a good deal of suspicion upon the occupation of the Marshall Islands by the Japanese. The Marshall Islands "were about halfway between Japan and New Zealand and Japan and Australia. It seemed hard to find any reason, except a, wish to dominate the Pacific, why the Japanese wanted to occupy the Marshall Islands. "He did not know what would result from the Conference- a-t Homo or what the position might be with respect to the mandate of Japan with regard to the Marshall Islands. During the war an undertaking had been arrived at with reference to the islands- north of the Equator and the islands south of the Equator. That undertaking having been made, the Bmpiro could not break its worcf, and if the Marshall Islands had to go to Japan we must put up with that position. He hoped that satisfactory arrangements would be made with reference to the question of fortifications, etc. He did not wish, to underrate what Japan had done in the war. The fact that site was present in the Pacific made things comparatively safe for us, and every credit must be given to her for the service she had rendered. He hoped that Japan had no intention of spreading her wings right over the Pacific, but he feared there was a possibility of this. The Minister added that it was impossible to give any idea as to what our own naval policy would be. Jellicoe was on his way to give advice. It was never in his (the speaker's) mind to create a special navy belonging to New Zealand, but if we were to protect the seas, every part of trie Empire had to have an opportunity to take its share. It was not sufficient to pay yearly a certain amount of money. We must pay for our protection in men, and it would be an everlasting disgrace to New Zealand if the Motherland had fco enter into any naval combat in which New Zealand' was not represented by some of its manhood. If we valued our freedom, it was our duty to take a share and train our men for a unit, in the Imperial Navy.

He did not know what ships or machines would be required in the future. It was necessary to consider .what should be dons in regard to the air service. The speaker. did not propose to enter into a large policy of aviation, but he thought it would be necessary to have a minimum- establishment of experts here in order that if war broke out we might be in a position to train men for defence purposes if the need arose. Air machines could be used for other than military purposes, and there was no reason why civilian and military functions should not be combined. Men had been trained already in flying in New Zealand, and some of these had gained great reputations and won high distinction. However, with regard to both the naval and air policy of the future, ho would ask the people to exercise patience until the opinion of. experts was available,.