IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XXXXI, Issue XXXXXI, 14 June 1920, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

VIEWS OP LORDS S2LBORNE AND JELLICOE.

BY ?AB7 4 S PB.ES3 ASSOCIATION—ConBIGHT

(Aus.-NJZ. Cable Assn.)

-, LONDON, June 11. The Colonial Institute annual dinner was largely attendee The Duke of •Connaugnt wrote regrecting his ab;senca owing to Jiis xv.ct-nc bereaveunent. Lord Jellicoe was the guest of -honor.

Lord Selborne, proposing the toast of "Imperial Defence," 6aid that during 1918 -the world's fate hung on a razor ■edge,, and now, whether the League of Nations becomes an accomplished fact or not, the Empire must organise its He believed the League of could only become an accomplished fact with the weight of the JBritish Empire behind it. "The units «©f the Empire must do what they can .within their limits to provide defence •of their own freewill, but there, still ■a-emains the problem to be solved how these 'measures of defence can be ••co-ordinated," he added. Lord SelSborne said Lord Jellicoe was eminently vfitted to advise on the solution of the cnaval aspect, which must always re-i-main the greatest aspect of our de- ; fence.. They congratulated their fellow--countrymen in New Zealand on their .new Governor-General.

Lord Jellicoe was given an ovation 'On repaying. He said he felt they Tvere- going to a land and a people "which they loved. He found in the Dominions a great realisation of the cfacfc that 6ea power was all in all to 'the Empire. He meant this not in 6ole rreference. to naval power, but" in the .general use of power at sea, which was largely, centred in our mercantile maTine. The latler's service in the war "would never be forgotten as long as the Empire existed. He thought Mr Watt's statement that. the. predominant partner did not call a meeting of -directors sufficiently often was fully Justified. He 6poke appreciatively of the reception given the battle-cruiser "New Zealand on her recent tour. They ■were overwhelmed, with kindness and hospitality. He looked forward with great pleasure to his term in. New Zealand, and that pleasure was enhanced by the fact that Sir Thomas Mackenzie, who had 3one so much for New Zealand, would, shortly follow, him there.