DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 19221, 12 April 1926, Page 6

DEFENCE OF THE EMPIRE.

Various important questions aro being discussed in the British Press in consequence of the near approach of the imperial Conference. Defence must necessarily bo one that will occupy a high position on ilio agenda. The way to a practical and co-ordinated scheme is paved with difficulties. One of these is the problem of finance. The British Government, which must bear the heaviest burden and responsibility in any plan that is evolved, has at present so many calls on its resources that it has boon compelled to proceed with caution in framing its Defence Estimates. The proposals for the coming year are that about £11,000,000 shall bo spent on naval contract work am! armaments, which is about equal to last year’s bill. This is a small amount whom tho cost of modern warships and equipment is taken into consideration. The Estimates for the air arm show' a groat reduction compared with last year, the amount allocated this year being £681,000, a-s against £1,320,000. It is not the dosiro of the British Government that the allocations to the three services should bo so small as they aro, but Ministers recognise that tbo voice of the Chancellor of tho Exchequer must he tho deciding factor. Mr Churchill, the keeper of the national pur.so, is fully awaro of tho needs of tho Empire on tho question of defence. His sympathies aro with those who advocate an effective defence system, hut ho realises that the expenditure must he kept to tho low Tcst possible figure till the financial condition of tho Mother Country improves.

Another difficulty is created by flic feeling engendered by tho support given to the Washington Agreement and Lite Locarno Pact. Peace advocates, including many Labor members of the British House of Commons, contend that in order to conform with the spirit of the Washington and Locarno documents the defence of tbo Empire should be subordinated to problems of domestic moment. That would bo courting disaster. America realises that, and her navy is kept at a high pitch of efficiency. No one suggests that tho United States Administration lias aggressive objects in the background. It is tho same witli tho British Empire. Adequate forces are needed for the defence of tho Mother Land and tho protection of our farflung trade routes. When these are provided tho way will be open to put into practical, effect tho Locarno Agreement, tho aim of which is to

maintain tho peace of the world. Without a strong British naval and air force, the peace might bo broken, despite any pact, by any nation which became imbued with tho Inst of conquest. Major-general Sir Frederick Sykes takes this line in a contribution to one of the service journals. He considers that a stronger Imperial defence scheme would be the soundest policy in British interests as a basis for tho reduction of armaments and tho best deterrent of war. He puts forward a scheme the object of which would bo the consolidation and combination of the three arms of Imperial defence, working under a defence staff in close co-operation with tho dominions. This plan will no doubt receive careful consideration from tho Imperial Conference, for the former Chief of the Air Staff is no visionary, hut a practical man of action, whose ideas ns a result of his successful war experiences should ho of distinct value. Ills suggestions are to some extent in lino with those •of tho Air Ministry, for Sir Samuel Hoarc declared recently that tho defence problem of the future was not the elimination of one or other of the throe lighting services, but rather a more intelligent division of labor under which tho best and most economical use would bo made of each of the three. In the past the services have been pulling against each other As a preliminary to an effective defence scheme, it will ho necessary to devise some plan by which they can work in harmony and co-operation in tho common interests.

Tho dominions have never borne a considerable share of tho burden of maintaining tho Navy, and it cannot bo expected that substantial advances will be made in the contributions. Any deficiency in this way was covered, however, during tbo war period, when the dominions, without counting the cost, rushed to assist the Mother Country. In tho House of Commons recently Commander Bellairs declared that Australia and New Zealand might as well throw tho money they spent on defence into tho sea if they could not bo assured of the support of the great British Fleet in tho event of war with Japan. That introduces a note of distrust that is not warranted. It is true that Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s Government failed to recognise tho urgency of the question of Imperial defence, but there was never any suggestion from the Labor Party of leaving tbo dominions to their own resources in case of trouble. The relations between the Mother Country imply mutual obligations and responsibilities. .There is

no suggestion of a weakening of sentiment in this respect. The task of the Imperial Conference is to evolve some practical plan which shall have for its object the security of the defences of the Empire and the furtherance of peace movements throughout the world.

An Association telegram from Wellington states that the Tahiti, which arrived this morning, experienced some trouble loading fruit at _ Rarotonga, owing to the loss of lighters and launches in the recent hurricane. But she completed her loading in good time. In the Palmerston North Police Court this morning, John Samuel Thomas Parsons, aged twenty-four pleaded guilty to the theft of various articles at Wellington, the property of Dulcio Key; also to obtaining from Wilfred Bagrie, of Levin, £.‘lo by falsely representing it to be paid for a third share in a side show. On the minor charges lie was ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within twelve months, and for false pretences was ordered to be detained for eighteen months for reformative treatment. Press Association.

The postal authorities advise that 100 hags and fifty-seven parcel receptacles of mails ex the Tahiti at Wellington will reach Dunedin to-morrow night. The Maunganui, which left Sydney on April 9 for Wellington, has 1-13 hags (including 107 from beyond) and five parcel receptacles of mails for hero.

Richard Bonclii, a butcher at Blackwater, was convicted at Grcymouth of possession of sheepskins and hides from which the cars had been removed. Ho was fined £2O, with costs. The magistrate (Mr Meldrnm, S.M.) said that the breach was deliberate, and had been going on for the past three and ahalf years. Thomas Barren, for a similar offence, was fined £2, with costs, his pica of ignorance being accepted.Press Association.

A Press Association message from Eketahuna stales that at midday yesterday Mr U. Barling’s box lactorv and machinery were totally destroyed by a tiro which apparently started in the vicinity of the boiler room. A quantify of sawn timber was also Inst. Tho insurance was £l,lOO, but the loss is estimated at £BOO over this amount. A number of small bush fires claimed tho attention of the Fire Brigade during tho week-end. On Saturday attcrnoon a gorso tiro in tho neighborhood of Lcckliarapton Court (CavershanO was visited, while seven fires were riyalt with from noon until last night. Two were on corporation reserves, two on the Anderson’s Bay road, one at Maori Hill, another at Woodhangh, and the last one on tho Town Belt. The call to tho Town Bolt was received at 11.10 pan., and the chemical hose was needed to prevent tho outbreak spreading.

Saturday was a red-letter day for 3-10 youngsters from the local orphanages who were tho guests of tho Otago Motor Club. About seventy cars conveyed the children to Wingatui, v’ ' , thanks to the Dunedin Jockey Club, tho racecourse was thrown open as a picnicking ground. There tho little folk enjoyed themselves as only youngsters can, a generous supply of sweets, cakes, and lemonade adding considerably to their pleasure. Tho happiness which the outing brought to tho little ones was ample repayment for tho work of organising the picnic, and every member of tlie Motor Club who lent bis car must have felt pleased with himself.

With regard to a telegram from Auckland in re a fault in tho 15. and F. cable, this only applies to one of the two linos from Sydney to Wellington. A fault has developed in one, but the other is in regular working order, and there is no interruption in com n 111 nicati o n .—Well in gt on A ssoci ation telegram.

A Press Association telegram from Gore states that the sawmill of Holliday Brothers at Waitane, near Matanra, was destroyed by fire yesterday morning. The hands worked hard to save the mill, hut the flames had too good a hold when the outbreak was discovered. The owners have decided to rebuild tho mill on modern linos immediately. The insurances total £1.500, in the Victoria Office, but tho loss cxcceclcs this figure considerably. Only three express trains left Dunedin for the north this morning, but they were all heavily laden. Fifty-two applications have been received for the position of librarian to tho Dunedin Athenaeum rendered vacant by Mr Hastings’s resignation. The committee meets to-night to consider tlie.se applications. Many cases have occurred lately of cheese sent in by factories both north and south of Dunedin being cut with a knife in such a way as to render it unfit for export. Whether tho damage is done maliciously or for tho purpose of appeasing the appetite is not known, but so ranch has boon cut nut as to cause the officials to prohibit the cheese being shipped from New Zealand. The damage is caused between tho time the cheese leaves the factories and readies the port from which it is to bo shipped abroad. The inquest on the body of "William Rood, laborer, aged thirty-eight, who was kilKd in the lorry accident at Mount Cargill on March 20, was to have been resumed tin's morning. Frederick Cole, the driver of tho lorry, who was discharged from the hospital some days ago, and who, it is understood, wont south, was unable to bo found by the police in time to_ ensure his presence to-day. The inquiry was adjourned sine die, and the police have sent advice to Cole informing him that ho is required as a witness.

Owing largely to tho personal endeavors of the Hon. Mark Cohen, an openair school at Cavcrsham is now assured. As a fact, the building is partly erected, tho framework being up and ready to carry tho roof. Tho Fletcher Construction Company and Love Bros, aro the joint contractors. Tho site is tho piece of the ground gifted by the

Mrs Joncs-Neiison has received a letter from His Excellency the GovernorGeneral staling that the Secretary of State for tho Colonies had asked him to inform her, in answer to cablegrams, tint tho provisions ol the British Old Age Rons ion Acts, 1008-102-1, and of tlw Widows and Orphans Contributory Pensions Act, 192 A, do not extend to persons resident in New Zealand.

Advice lias been received by those advocating daylight saving that during the past lortnigTit another twenty-two local bodies and other organisations have passed resolutions in i'avor of the adoption of summer time daylight saving, malting a total of ninety-seven bodies which have expressed their approval during the last lew There is an impression in the minds of many that the proposal is only for the purpose of increasing the facilities for outdoor amusements, but it is pointed out that Us adoption at Homo and on the Continent was brought about mainly on economic grounds, and that it has proved a considerable factor in materially reducing one of the items m the present high cost of living. In this respect everyone benefits, farmers and city people alike, as on a rough average one may say that artificial lighting comes into use in the summer months about 7.T0 p.m., and on tho same rough average is put out at 10.31) p.m. Standard time by summer-time clocks being an hour fast, the light will not bo needed until 8.30, but extinguishing time will bo 10.30 by the clock. Thus at one stroke the average householder’s lighting bill is reduced by one-third. Ijiaylight saving is a direct and by no means trifling element in the reduction of tho cost of living to the individual.

Hudson family on which the kindergarten, which is to be a memorial of the late Mr Richard Hudson, is being erected, near the children’s convalescent home. This open-air school is planned similarly to those which have boon put up at Christchurch. It consists of a class room 21 x 24, with a playshed adjoining; also a separate building which provides shower baths, some for girls, others for boys. Windows on the four sides of the class room will give abundant light and all the sunshine that is obtainable in dull weatherAn Auckland Press Association telegram states that the biennial meeting of the Now Zealand Manchester Unity was attended by forty-seven delegates. They wore welcomed by the mayor. The report states that during the biennial period the membership averaged 1,294 per annum, and that the value of the general fund increased from £73,909 to £83,687.

Yes, the beet place ior children’s toys is Todd’s Toy Arcade, George street piert the Plaza).— [Advt.l The Railway Department advertises in this issue excursion trains and cheap fares to Dunedin from Palmerston and intermediate stations, and from Milton-Allanton and intermediate stations, on Saturday, April 17. An order for £5 will be the special prize nt tbo euchre tourney in the Waraiah Tea, Rooms to-night.

“Too much bother to cut out! Much too busy,” soys tho home-sowing woman. But here's her chance I Miss Jacobs, of New York, is here, and cuts out entirely free of charge at the D.I.C. FOR. THIS WEEK ORLY! Be wise and call to-day—--10 a.m. till noon, and 2 p.m. till 5 p.m. Pictorial Review Patterns and Material to bo purchased at the DJ.C.—[Advt.] For glasses guaranteed to suit consult W. V. Sturmor, Dunedin ; ’phone 7,s2o.—[Advt,]

Exhibition visitors, don’t fail visit Mrs Geo. Mackenzie's (Queenstown) Ramabai Oriental Stall, B. avenue, Industries Court (opposite Burt's display).—[Advt,]