THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14979, 27 April 1909, Page 3

THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER.

SUPPORTED BY BOARD OF. GOVERNORS. At yesterday’s meeting of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, before anv other business was taken, the chairman (Mr G. W. Russelh M.P.) said that ho wished to bring up a mattter that had been before the public for the last few weeks: he referred to tho Dreadnought offer. He moved—- “ That the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, realising the paramount importance of tho maintenance of the supremacy of tho British Navy, most heartily supports the patriotic action of the Government in offering to the Admiralty a firet-class battleship ou behalf of New Zealand.” In the ordinary course of events, Mr Russell continued, tho Board room was not tho place where political matters should come up for discussion, ns the Board’s functions wore limited by law to the .administration of the affairs of the institution. But whore a great national crisis had appeared imminent, and especially where there had been the public commotion which had eventuated with respoct to the offer, he did not think a largo and influential body such ae the Board should hesitate to express an opinion in respect to the groat and important action taken by the Government. Ho was not going to refer to the constitutional aspect of the matter, which would be discussed by Parliament-. The Government’s action had committed the country to the gift of a battleship. He felt that the Government had risen to a great occasion, and ho believed that the Board, which was,-perhaps, the only public body representing what was formerly the entire province "of Canterbury, -was entitled on an occasion of the kind, on behalf of those it represented. to say that it endorsed the action of the Government. He was not going to take up time in pointing to tho- importance to New Zealand of the supremacy of th© Navy. Now Zealand was in an isolated position in the South Pacific, and unless it was protected by tho British fleet, its liberty was nob worth a month’s purchase, in view of the establishment of powerful navies by Germany and Japan. To New Zealand it meant national existence, and he felt so strong on the mat-

ter that Ire regarded nimsolf as entirely justified in submitting tho resolution to the Board. Mr W. H. Montgomery seconded, tho motion. He said that tho action taken by the Government, believing that there was an immediate crisis, was one that should be supported by the people, whether the crisis was imminent or not. The Government’s action had been an object-lesson to the world, and redounded' to the credit of New Zealand and its people. The motion was earned unanimously without further discussion.