A PRETTY CHRISTENING

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVII, Issue LVII, 11 April 1910, Page 5

A PRETTY CHRISTENING

AUSTRALIA'S WARSHIP YARRA.

[PEESS^ ASSOCIATION.] LONDON, April 10.

The Commonwealth gunboat Yarra was successfully launched on the Clyde, and Mrs Moore at the christening said : "Your name signifies 'running water.' May your movements ever be swift, hastening the protection of our land when danger threatens."

SPEECH BY SIR GEORGE REID. (Received April 11, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, April 10. Sir George Reid, Australian High Commissioner, at the Yarra christening luncheon, said, regarding the beginning of the Australian navy, that all great parties of the Commonwealth were identical in their views that the world's desire for peace was never greater f yet, it was strange that the" stronger a statesman's professions of peace the more extravagant and mad he became in the pace for naval preparations. The secret of this marvellous discrepancy was that we were on the brink of great events which would throw the world injfco some dreadful catastrophe or terrific strain of resources which would hasten .a general understanding. The fortunes of the Motherland and .her Dominions were 7 inseparably intertwined. The people of Australia had no intention of military or naval adventure, ;and would be far more delighted if their .warships were scrapped without firing a shot in anger; but all parts of the Empire realised their responsibilities to the Empire under existing circumstances.