THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue LXXIV, 14 May 1918, Page 5

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

AN EMPHATIC MINISTERIAL DECLARATION.

Addressing an enthusiastic gathering at the Sydney Millions' Club recently, the" Commonwealth Minister for -the Navy _£Mr Joseph Cook) said: "Let us talk no more of jjeaoe. The time is not yet when we can discuss terms of peace. United harmony j 8 a thing we nave been hearing much about lately. I believe there is a, grea£ deal more of it among the citizens of Australia than there is among the politicians of Australia just now. (Loud applause.) Down deep there flows a stream of steady patriotism among the Australian people which needs only to be awakened and roused. I wish to utter a warning to Australians regarding a certain kind of mischievous talk, not only in certain quarters outside but I regret to say, inside, the Federal Parliament. Only yesterday we heard, for the tenth time, I should imagine, that wiose miserable clods of earth in the Pacific should be given back to Germany at the earliest possible moment When I hear this kind of talk I wonder where those men's intelligence is. We had only last week a statement in the Federal Parliament that there were no naval bases in the Pacific. Great heavens! In one river alone in New Guinea you could pack all the fleets of Europe, and German New Guinea is only 1500 miles from here. If the Germans should carry out their programme as proclaimed to the world, to get their colonies back, and to train all the natives there for defensive purposes it would mean that Australia would'require to keep a. huge standing army. It is not liberty, but an abuse of liberty to be talking in this treasonable way "in Australia while the enemy is thundering at the gates. lam going to London to help the Prime Minister, and I am gomjr to stand behind him while he urges that we should retain the.islands to the last gasp. (Great applause.) iney are vital to our future security here. For the rest, we shall go with open minds, looking into all the great problems to be considered, believing in pur hearts that we shall best serve the interests of Australia by trying to keep together the mighty British Empire in trust for the whole of civilised mankind. I believe the British Empire represents the great winning cause of civilisation throughout the world Our backs are to the wall, and as before so now we shall win through by the triumphant might of the British race " (Applause.) .