NAVY LEAGUE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 February 1926, Page 5

NAVY LEAGUE.

CONFERENCE OF NEW ZEALAND DELEGATES.

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) DUNEDIN, Feb. 18. The eighth annual conference of th e New Zealand branches of the Navy League was opened, in Dunedin, to-day, Mr J. Begg presiding over delegates from all branches. A welcome was extended to the delegates by tli e Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P.). The president’s address covered many of the league’s activities and the features of naval work during the year. Mr J. J. Dougal! (Christchurch) was elected president for the coming year, and Mr R. Darroch (Wellington) was re-appointed secretary. In reply to a message of condolence forwarded on the occasion of the death of Queen Alexandra, a letter was received from the Lord Chamberlain thanking the branches on behalf of His Majesty and his sisters for the beautiful flowers sent as a, tribute of affection and respect to the memory or the late Queen. In reply to the secretary’s letter of congratulation on his elevation to an earldom, Lord Jellicoe wrote conveying deep appreciation of the rtiessage, and expressed good wishes for the continued success; of the league’s work in New Zealand. Remits wfere passed noting with cordial approva,] the policy of the British Government in establishing a naval base at Singapore and the Admiralty s po'icy of a four years’ programme ol new reconstruction for the Royal Navy, and urging upon the Government the vital necessity of resisting any further reduction in ‘the programme, such reduction being attended by grave risk and peril. The conference adopted the following Auckland remit: That in view of the proposed reconstruction of five Air Force in New Zealand, particular attention be paid to the development of the naval side of the air- service an view of our isolated position, dependence on seaborne commerce, and lack of local defences. Contending that better navai defence for New Zealand was essential, the conference decided to urge the Government to increase its contribution to the Royal Navy. The opinion was expressed that, although th e increase would mean higher taxation, members of the league were prepared to pay their full share. It was decided that the league should emphasise the necessity of further increasing the financial contribution to the naval defence of the Empire, and of continuing to increase it until the Dominion was bearing a fair share; of its responsibility, namely, a per capita contribution equal to that- of the Mother Country, or, in the alternative, that the Dominion should pay not less than £850,000, as suggested by Lord Jellicoe last year. it was further resolved that the desirability of making provision in the Defence Estimates of 1926 for a third light cruiser, thereby maintaining a oomp’ete naval unit, he urged upon the G overnment.

The formation of navaj reserves for men over the ages of 18 years and the institution of sea cadet corps for youths under that age, who preferred naval drill to military training, were strong- .• supported. ' The proposal was that reserves should be formed in every main port of ±he Dominion, and that the cadets should be transferred to the reserve on the completion of their cadet training. The proposals came from the Auckland and Canterbury branches respectively. Mr C. H. Palmer (Auckland) outlined the reserve (class D) in Auckland), and stated that valuable training was being carried out. The public of Auckland were enthusiastic. Two companies of reserves ’ were now being trained, and an appeal for 60 recruits for another company to be formed shortly had received 90 replies. The reserves would have to be formed first in the centres, as' if the sea cadet companies were formed before the reserves the boys might not have facilities for continued training. The trawler recent’y purchased by the Government would arrive in the Dominion next month fully equipped for the training of the reserves, and when other companies were formed the trawler would visit’ other ports. The reservists in Auclchand were taking gunnery practice on the Dunedin and the Diomede.

The miltary authorities, it was stated, were agreeable to naval training forming part of the military programme. The boys would receive instruction as cadets, which would fit them for service as coastguards or on local patrol and harbour defence duties in time of war. and would supply recruits to the Royai Navy. It was pointed out that the late Mr Massey and Lord Jellicoe were sympathetic towards the movements, which could not he commenced until retired naval officers in various centres co-op-erated. The Government is to lie approached on the matter.