NAVAL DEFENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 April 1924, Page 3

NAVAL DEFENCE

ADVICE TO DOMINION. v [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 28. 1 At an official luncheon to the officers of the fleet to-day, Vice-Admiral Sit Frederick Field, who was received with applause, during the course of his speech if! response to the toast of Our Guests, proposed by the Premier paid a tribute to Viscount Jelliicoe as the naval officer who taught him all he knew about the Navy. It was with diffidence he rose to address such a distinguished gathering. After brief remarks in a lighter vein, the speaker said that it was lapparent .there was no need to stress the importance of the navy. All Governments at the present time were faced with calls for money for various purposes, and specious and attractive arguments were being raised (against naval defence. We should have to rely for many years to come

upon our naval power, and the fact that great nations still had sufficient faith in capital ships was enough argument in refutation of the statements in favour of the disintegration of naval forces. The principal duty of the main fleet was to meet an enemy’s main fleet. With a reduced main fleet it would not be possible to prevent raiders from escaping, nor to send assistance to every threatened point in defence of the trade of the Dominion. Our trade would be left entirely unprotected, unless more cruisers were provided for the Dpminions’ defence. He advocated three as a measure of safety, in the event of one or two being put out of commission or laid up for repairs. Referring to the place of training of crews in these waters, he pointed out that one ship could provide for the training of an adequate force. If there were more than one vessel, the element for competition between the ships would be an important factor. There was a want of understanding between the people at Home and in the Dominions, and an interchange of cruisers would do much to break that want of understanding down.

The present visit would do a great deal in the same direction. At the conclusion of the function, the Prime Minister proposed the health of the Governor-General. In responding, His Excellency expressed his regret at leaving the Dominion. He said he and his family had the happiest of times in New Zealand and would never forget the country and its people. . The gathering concluded with cheers for the Governor-General and for the officers and men of the fleet. AUSTRALIAN DECISION. SYDNEY, April 28. Air Bowden announced that the Federal Government intended to keep the Australian Navy up-to-date by building one cruiser at Cockatoo Island, immediately, and two within three years. This- will be followed, by a cruiser every three years. Referring to air defence, he said that Cabinet had not yet decided on a policy. His ide.a was to work in conjunction with civil aviation as much as possible. An aeroplane base on North Australia' was essential and and a seaplane base, must be established.