The Ensign. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1914. THE NAVAL POLICY.

Mataura Ensign, 24 July 1914, Page 4

The Ensign. FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1914. THE NAVAL POLICY.

The speech Mr J. Q. Un on" CmFarmers' Union Cqj>^, em , u ln Wellington de- ' AViw' K,l ' C , 1 tl } an passi,, « »*&*: •Mi r well known as a loader in the ng community. Ever <>inco the iU"-mauon of the union Mr Wilson has been its president and this is ample evidence o't the confidence that is reposed m him. The Farmers' Union was the hrst organisation in New Zealand 10 recognise the necessity of providing more money lor the protection the country received bv the existence of tile Imperial Fleet. As a consequence the Government of tho day increased the subsidy from £20.000 to £40,000 a ?n ar ' "J" 1 raised it to £IOO,OOO, then fen- Joseph Ward presented the eadnought to the Fnipire Now, and made an agreement with the Admiraltv that certain cruisers should be stationed in Mew 'Zealand waters. The latter part-of the agreement has not been carried out and hence Hon. J. Allen's proposal to make a beginning in tho establishment of a local navy. Mr Wilson (lei-re?:!ted tho importation of party politics mto so great and important a subject of Imperialism as the naval t'i'otectian of the Dominion from foreign attack. That there is cause for apprehension in this regard is shown by the state of affairs in Canada at the present time. No one can expect the Indian nationality to tit quietly after tho refusal of the Canadians to allow immigrants from India fo land. Nevertheless we think that not only is Canada right in the stand she has taken, but we believo that both Australia and New Zealand must follow suit. If the Government? of_these dominions 'do not a< once take acuon our labor markets will be flooded with Wieap Asiatic labor, our small traders will be beaten out of the market-, and their places taken by people of a colored race. At present- the Chinese have captured the fruit trade in the North Island. In Canada it is touud that the Hindu rap;dly adapts himself to local conditions-and ousts the white trader. It is necossarv for the colonies bordering on the Pacific Oeeon to stand together to prevent as far at possible ari extension of this state oi affairs. The method of preparing to resist attack is by raising hind and sea forces as f°.r as our resources will allow. Mr \\ ilton uas therefore ivise in refer-1 ««S to the necessity for preparation. Ihe .i.,X)J) agreement made by Sir Joseph n-rd has become a dead letter raid something must be provided ill its place. Great Britain has not enough vessels of her own to maintain supremacy in the North .Sea, said Mr Wilt-on, and how could she carry out the 1009 agreenient. It was obvious that, the whole situation must have been discussed when Mr Allen was at Home, a.nd reading between the lines and l'ronv Mr Churchill s speeches in connection with tlie Canadian naval policy, lie, as head ol the Admiralty, was not prepared to oo anything more than send to us two somewhat obsolete third-class cruisers. fiist-class cruisers were required in tho China seas where war vessels of other nationalities were stationed to be ready for eventualities. At the present moment we are fortunately on* better terms with Germany talin we have been lor some time. But while the/ absurd position of settling international dis- [ putes by force continues, the wasteful j P'ufcss goes <;n which every nation i desires to put a stop to, but which none will -agree to. "Our only insurance against war is to be prepared for it. While Britain is doiug this, are we to remain 'doinjf' nothing (asked Mr Wilson), or merely to continue a payment towards her navy for a sum which is a merei flea-bite of the amount she is spending at the present moment? Personally, I do not hesitate to s.iv that tho circumstances being completely altered 1 nave altered my opinion on this subject. We ought to make a progressive move. (Hear, hear.) * After paying :i. compliment to Mr A. M. Alycrs, M.P., for treating the subject of nava' protection on non-party lines Mr Wilson said, "There are, however, two reasons why I think we should pause. The first is the fact that there is to bp an Imperial Conference in 1915. It will be after our election, and wobably after the British elections. That in itself would not to my mind he sufficient cause for delay, because shins take a long time to build, and we might easily sell, as there often is traffic in war vessels. The more important reason is that we are i;oing through a transition stage in connection with naval warfare; submarines, waterplanes, airships, oil, all being factors. We in New Zealand are particularly' vuhiprnb'e from sea of New Zeaa"s e 11 is e r,

Pr Country, whose positiorraniong pis has secured the safety "of trade Is so long." Has the spirit of our athers not descended to us? Are

PP&'ior ever to 'wain and see?' " Sir Wilson commended the proposal to train men for the Navy and asked the conference to support a forward naval policy. It must be gratifying to Hon. Allen to find the president oi the l' armers' Un:on taking'such a. reasonable view of this very important subject and Mr Wilson's clear and far-sighted views deserve the consideration of all colonists.