EMPIRE DEFENCE.

Mataura Ensign, 20 March 1913, Page 6

EMPIRE DEFENCE.

A PACIFIC FLEET. BT ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.—COPYRIGHT. PIB UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. LONDON, March 19. During the discussion at the Colonial ; Institute on Viscount Hythe's paper on "Imperial Defence," Hon. W. A. Holman (New South Wales Attorneys General) justified the policy of an Australian Navy, which he hoped would be the forerunner of a Pacific Fleet. When the different parts of the Empire realised the existence of a purpose justifying common action they would find the requisite organisation. He advised | the Motherland not to attempt to set a pace beyond the rate that the dominions were prepared to go. HON. JAMES ALLEN'S OPINIONS. LONDON, March 19. Hon. James Allen (New Zealand Minister for Defence), speaking at the meeting of the Colonial Institute, said that Australasia had nothing in her mind except Imperialism, and was wise enough to know that she was powerless •without the help of the Motherland. No dominion was entitled to ask a voice in the Councils of the Empire .until she had progressed in development, 'but the day must come when she would be admitted to England's Executive Council. The sooner this came the sooner Imperial preference would be reached. A FINE PERFORMANCE. PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION CHRISTCHURCH. March 19. The talk of the camp at Yaldhurst today was the excellent achievement of the West Coast contingent who arrived in camp last night at 10 o'clock under the worst possible conditions. A batch of untrained men performed a forced march that men in the pink of training would have considered a matter to boast . over, and performed l it, moreover, over, i one of the worst roads in New Zgpland. ! The West Coasters arrived at Greymouth on Monday night, having collected from all parts of the country, and i having been on the road since four 1 o'clock on Monday morning. On Tuesl day morning they paraded at five o'clock at Greymouth and after breakfast entrained for Otira. Here the i "wet" coast began to justify its reputation, and pouring rain set in. The l men disentrained at Otira at 9 a.m. and started without food on their long march to Bealey. Up the mountain and over Arthur's Pass thdy toiled through the rain which fell at the time. The 15-mile tramp to Bealey wag completed' at 1 p.m., a hot meal having been eatgn on the way. At midday in the poTiring rain the men were each given a cake of chocolate and a quarter'of a pound of raisins. At two o'clock the men marched to the railway terminus, a distance of five miles and : a-half, still ■cheerful and still enjoying their arduous task. At 3.15 p.m. they ' arrived at the rail head on the Christchurch side of the Bealey River, and found that the footbridge which bad been put over the Bealey to enable them ta pass had been washed awav. Mr Gavin, the engineer of the Public Works Department, who was in attendance there with a body iiK'i>, soon rigged up another bridge. Trains were run from the Cass, the Railway ' Department supplying carriages instead of the old trucks. By this time overyI one was wringing wet. The men had a : substantial meal at Springfield and oc- ' cupied the time in the train bv taking ' off their putties and wringing them out ' and making themselves as comfortable ' as possible. The train took the nien to Hornby and they cheerfully em-barked } on their five-mile walk to the camp, * arriving at 10 p.m. Their tents were ' ready for them, and after a hearty meal they settled down for the night. They ■■ were let off oarades this morning to * erable them to have a rest, but this afternoon they settled down to work. Not a man broke down during the jourioey in spite of its arduousness and not a man is ill to-day. The other men in camp have all settled dow*n to work. There are now ; about 1500 men in camp.