N.Z. NAVY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1929, Page 8

N.Z. NAVY

AN HISTORIC SURVEY. “New Zealand and Naval Defence” formed the subject of a highly instructive address delivered by Sir James Allan at Dunedin before the Otago branch of the New Zealand Historical Association. Sir James said that the New Zealand Navy might be said to have been commenced in 1846, when a gunboat was purchased for Porirua Harbour. By 1864 New Zealand had quite an imposing fleet manned from warships ■ then on the station. 'Hie speaker then reviewed the work of the ltoyal Commission set up in 1879 to inquire into the delence of British possessions, and gave a short history of the work oi the Colonial Conferences held from 1887 to 1904. These were succeeded by the Imperial Conferences, the first of which met in 1907. Proposals to establish a Pacific fleet were considered, and in 1909 the New Zealand Government presented the battle-cruiser New Zealand to the British Government. Meanwhile, an Australian squadron had teen formed, and owing to the rapid development of the German fleet, tin Pacific fleet never materialised. “EASTERN FLEET OF EMPIRE.” Sir James Allen gave an interesting and detailed account of the negotiations between the British Government and the Reform Government of 1912. hi which he was Minister of Defence. He had, ho said, in his negotiations with the Home Government, made the proposal that legislation should b*> enacted giving the New Zealand Government power to raise and maintain a permanent naval , force. This proposal was to be realised gradually by the loan of ships and training officers. The Naval Defence Act of 1913, and an amendment in the Act of provided terms of service, after which volunteers were to be transferred to the naval reserve for service in time of war. The outbreak of the Great War had then thrown a serious obstacle in the way of progress. DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY. The development of the naval policy cf New Zealand, which had been interrupted, was a matter for grave thought for the Government, when the war came to an end in 1918. It was felt that a report ought to be' secured to enable the Government to proceed with a naval policy on sound lines, and a request was submitted to the British Government, with the result that Viscount Jellicoe was appointed to prepare a report. That was done in 1919, and the report made it clear that the proper strategy for the British Empire in the Pacific was to provide an adequate fleet in the Far East, and to defend Singapore and.Hongkong against attacks. For New Zealand, Viscount Jellicoe recommended three light cruisers, six submarines, one submarine parent ship, and a naval air school. The provision of the necessary vessels for harbour defence and local arrangements for harbour defences were dealt with in great detail, and there was also a section devoted to minesweeping. The necessity of fuel and the importance of the Westport mines'were stressed, with a recommendation for the erection of oil tanks at Auckland and Wellington. Estimates of cost were also given. Viscount Jellicoe’s proposals were based on the general principle that New Zealand should pay for the manning and maintenance of its division, and provide such portions of the personnel of the ships as was practicable. BIGGER CRUISERS COMING. In 1920 Sir James Allen was appointed High Commissioner for New Zealand, and was able to attend the meetings 'of the Assembly of the League of Nations at Geneva until 1926. Viscount Jellicoe had recognised the importance of the League in this report when he stated that further decisions reached might be affected by the formation of the League of Nations. l’he Washington Conference in 1921 was a step showing that the desire for reduction of naval armaments was not confined to the League. At the conference Britain abandoned its supremacy as a naval ,power, and submitt' to reduction of its naval strength. At the Imperial Conference in 1923, Empire defence was again discussed..In 1920 the Chatham had been commissioned for a period of three years, on loan to the New Zealand Government, and in 1921 the Philomel was commissioned as a,-training ship. The Chatham was replaced in 1924 by the Dunedin, and in 1925 the Diomede was added as a second cruiser. A resolution of the Imperial Conference of 1926 calling attention to the need foi a naval base at Singapore was followed by a statement by the Prime Minister (Mr J. G. Coates) in 1927, on Singapore and naval defence. In this statement it was announced that instead of obtaining three cruisers for New Zealand waters when the present cruisers had to be withdrawn, they would be replaced by cruisers of nearly double the tonnage. Sir James Allen concluded his remarks on this side of the question with - a comprehensive statement of the present position of naval defence in New Zealand. PARITY IN A STATE OF FLUX. Passing on to considerations of the League of Nations and the Briaml-Kel-logg Pact, the speaker said he thought any reduction in armaments was a minor question when compared w ith the supreme issue of securing peace. Me then reviewed in broad perspective the question of disarmament as consid-

ered at Assemblies of the League of Nations, and indicated, by way of example, the type of disarmament proposals made at the Washington Com ference. Applying this to New Zealand, Sir James Allen gave a- detailed account of the position in the Dominion with regard to disarmament and the administration of mandated areas, the position at the present time with respect to parity between the British Empire and the United States might be described as being in a state of flux. The Washington Conference had limited aircraft carriers on a 5-5-3 ratio, so it would be unreasonable to expect any help from the British unit, though New Zealand might develop its own air-craft to use as eyes in defence. One might fairly ask the Americans who questioned the British claim for auxiliary naval craft without restricted limit, for sympathetic consideration when the coast of New Zealand and the many possessions of the Empire bordering on the seas might be subjected to a minelaying menace at their very doors. The speaker then concluded his address with a complete summary of current opinions on international usage and pacific blockade.