IMPERIAL NAVY.

Grey River Argus, 19 May 1922, Page 5

IMPERIAL NAVY.

DOMINION CONTRIBUTION. WILLING TO INCREASE IT. WELLINGTON. May 18. Sir I*. 11. Rhodes (Minister of Defence) said that he was unable to account for th-c cabled reference to the ‘‘Now Zealand Hint.’’ His statement to a correspondent of a London newspaper had Imen that New Zealand had received no intimation from the Imperial Government that it desired New Zealand io increase her contribution to the Navy, but if such an intimation Wert received, it would receive favourable consideration, .lie had explained at the same time that recently New Zealand’s naval contribution had be-cii more than doubled, as the Dominion, in. place of making a monetary contribution of £lOO,OOO, had undertaken the maintenance of the ('hatham and Philomel. This was in addition to payments in respect of the battlc-cruisey New Zealand. CANADA’S MOSQUITO FLEET. NO AIORE REJECTS WANTED. OTTAWA, May 17. The Governnvent announces that the Cauadiiin Navy will consist of the de(stroyers Patriot and Patrician, two smaller vessels and four trawlers evenly divided on the Atlantic and Pacific Coast as training ships for volunteer sailors on a part-time basis. The cruiser Aurora and the two submarines will be paid oft' pursuant, io the policy of economy and the decisions of the Washington Conference. The Opposition blocked the passage of the Naval Estimates following the ( announcement of the Government's policy, which Air Aleighen said falls short of Canada's moral obligation as' an integral par! of the Einpir-e. Parliament accepted Britain’s gift of ships and consented to their maintenance. Premier King said that i'.ic covern-mc-nt was carrying out the lat-e >Sir W. Laurier’s policy of a volunteer navy, available to the British Admiralty in emergency. The late Government accepted ships which Britain would liav-e scrapped, but which cost Canada. £2.5'JU,000 annually. Air King consented to an adjournment of the debate.