NAVAL DEFENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16550, 14 May 1914, Page 7

NAVAL DEFENCE.

LOCAL FLEET OR IMPERIAL NAVY.

MR ALLEN REPLIES TO SIB M JOSEPH WARD. > [Pub Pbkss Association] AUCKLAND, May 13. The statements made by Sir Joseph Ward at Wellington regarding the naval policy of the Reform Government were referred to by the Minister of Defence, the Hon J. Allen, this evening. The statement by Sir Joseph Ward that New Zealand would lose its diroct attachment to the Imperial Navy by carrying out. the Government'* policy was characterised by the Minis' tor as "absolute nonsense." Such athing as a. breach of our attachment to the British Navy would never have been contemplated. "It was never thought of, it was never even dreamed of," he continued. " Sir Joseph Warid knows this and he is only trying ft> mislead people. He knows that there, has been and that there is no attempt on our part to create a local navy in the sense that he implies. i The Imperial authorities, it might be said with equal reason, have a local navy here now in the Pyramus and Psyche, arid they have always had auch a local navy in these waters, but these vessels have always been and are part of the Irriperial Navy, and any ships that we may provide under our policy will always be just as much apart of brie great British Navy." ''; >i *'' Mr Allen pointed out. that the Government's scheme provided that in case of trouble New Zealand vessels, even before the first shot was fired, would automatically pass under the control of the British Admiralty, the position thus being quite different from that ,of Australia. .. "We still provide for one control,' 1 the Minister continued, " but we have provided local interest as well. Under Sir Joseph Ward's policy New Zealand would have no voice in the expenditure of sums contributed by- her to naval defence purposes. Under our policy we will have such a voice." Mr Allen said that the misrepresentations by Sir Joseph Ward on this question called for plain speaking. " 1 repeat that what he says is mere nonsense, and I am not going to allow him to mislead the people of New Zealand in this way. Ho is not a thorough-going New Zcalander. He is a Little New Zealander. I want to know where his patriotism is. What we are doing will strengthen the Imperial character of the Navy. There will still be one control.

"The Imperial authorities under the present system do everything and we do nothing beyond paying our contribution. Sir Joseph Ward wishes this system to continue. He does not want any local interest to be created." Mr Allen was also questioned regarding Sir Joseph Ward's denial of Mr Fisher's statement that he (Sir Joseph) had proposed a naval scheme which would involve a contribution of ten shillings per head per annum. " Sir Joseph contradicts himself on this point," said the Minister. "In-one part of the interview he says that he did not propose such a scheme, and in another part of it ho says that this country, would not at any time be called upon to pay more than ten shillings per head for Imperial naval defence purposes. There is no doubt that he did make such a proposal, as it is,in black and white on the public records," Mr Allen denied that the Reform Government's scheme involved a contribution of more than ten shillings a head. "We have not committed the countrv to such a burden. The nresent expenditure on naval defence is £240.000 per year, including £l4o.oooas interest and sinking fund on the gift battleship. In regard to this gift, I may point out when it was made it was understood that it did not mean relieving the British taxpaver from building on» Dreadnought. We have since found, however, that the gift has really meaftt nothing more nor less than relieving the British taxpayer of the cost pf a battleship." ■■ \ ,