The Hawera Star. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1924. THE EMPIRE’S DEFENCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 November 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1924. THE EMPIRE’S DEFENCE.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’clouK in Hawera Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham. Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, JTurleyville, Patea, Waveriey, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser / Road, and Ararata.

Lord Jellicoe’s warning at a farewell' function in Wellington against the tendency to let down the defensive forces of the Empire merits attention in the Pacific Dominions especially, where many people seem to forget the necessity for maintaining the- efficiency and strength of the Navy. We. suppose that it is because the long naval conflict was waged for four and a quarter years in comparative silence for the most part twelve thousand miles away that people in the outlying parts of the Empire do not have as keen a realisation of its importance as one would expect, but surely everyone must know that had there been a weak British Navy the /Allies would have lost the war. Not only was it essential that the Germans should be beaten at Jutland and crippled, sufficiently to prevent them seeking a second engagement, but from the moment the war began the British Navy had to exercise the utmost vigilance and care lest the enemy should gain the mastery in any department of naval warfare. By its constant efforts in the North Sea and by its wonderful blockade the British Navy saved- the Dominions from the terrible experiences of bombardment by German vessels; by its protection thousands of men were able to proceed from the Dominions to Great Britain to help the Motherland; by its wonderful defence of the vital communication lines across the English Channel millions of men and tens of thousands of tons of war material and foodstuffs Were successfully transported to France. We believe that, when all credit has been given to the armies of the Allies and the intrepid airmen, it is true to say that the British Navy was the greatest factor in •winning the war, and, in thinking of its wonderful work, one must not forget the magnificent service rendered by the British mercantile marine. In a recent speech Mr. Ramsay MacDonald said that The. Empire itself, in the course of generations of evolution, had reached a time when it was no longer sufficient for somebody to be in the Colonial Office or in Downing Street to issue edicts, and say, “You are our colonies, our children, our dependents,” but an Empire of self-respecting, self-govern-ing, liberty-loving Britishers requiring the machinery of government of a totally different character, requiring somebody to solve the problem of how self-governing nations might co-operate without losing self-respect. Mr. MacDonald, who is in favour of international disarmament, but. who has stated that before Britain can reduce her armaments there must be a complete agreement by all nations to do likewise at the same time, states accurately what Britain’s view of the Empire should be, but by referring to the “Empire of self-respecting, self-govern-ing, liberty-loving Britishers,” he places upon the Dominions responsibilities far greater than existed when they were “our colonics, our children, our dependents.’.’ And, we think, in nothing is the. responsibility greater than in the matter of defending the Empire. Lord Jellicoe’s warning, therefore, should cause each Dominion to ask if it is doing its share in this very important work, and we think that the answer must be in each case that the Dominions are not contributing nearly enough towards naval defence. New Zealand’s total trade is ■ about 1100,000,000 per year, and her population is nearing a million and a

half, while the country is very rich in resources and assets. Yet the contribution to the Navy each year is small and far below the amount per head contributed by the people ofthe Motherland. Surely this country can do better than it is doing, and it is to be hoped that such a warning as the distinguished Admiral has given, prior to his departure will lead the Dominions to realise more clearly the need for considerably larger contributions to the main department of the British Umpire’s defence.