The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1908. THE NAVAL AGREEMENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 10 January 1908, Page 4

The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1908. THE NAVAL AGREEMENT.

Some important speeches were made at Bluff Harbour upon the above question during the recent visit of the Admiral to the southern port. His Excellency and Lady Fawkes were entertained by the Harbour Board, and the Prime Minister was also a guest. Naturally the afterdinner speeches were of a maritime character, the British naval service being eulogised, and the " boys of the bull-dog breed" coming in for their due meed of praise. The Admiral, in referring to the naval agreement, expressed the opinion that the naval control was best as at present,' in the hands of the Admiralty, who should be able to move the ships to sea wherever the attack threatened. It was better to keep possible enemies from our waters than to beat them on our shores. In this opinion most people who^shave made any study of the subject will agree. The Prime Minister also endorsed this view. He said there should be no alteration in the naval agreement, as the office of the Navy was to defend commerce on the highways of the seas. Further, he indicated that this country was prepared to increase the subsidy materially. He thought it would be sound policy for the Government to say they would have a suitable ship and would have one thousand young fellows aboard that ship. If, in conjunction with the present work they were carrying out, the .Government could get a suitable ship to accommodate one thousand youths, the Government were prepared to pay for its upkeep, and the country would endorse that action. The Government would, he said, go further, they would provide pensions i6t the lads a,fter they had completed their services. This, if not merely the usual post-prandial utterance—not to be taken ,too seriously—indicates the beginning of a policy of far-reaching consequences. There can be no question that in addition to an adequate land force, we must also make provision for protecting, our coasts. In the event of a great naval battle, .during which the Australian cruisers would probably be withdrawn in order to.take their part in the contest, the need ior local ships would be keenly apparent, and it is wise to look ahead, and prepare in some-measure for such an emergency. It is comparatively easy to obtain ships, that is a mere matter of money, but the skilled men with which to work them is an entirely different matter. These can only be obtained by years of careful training, and in the Amokura we already have the nucleus of such a scheme of preparation.- Should another ship be added, as Sir Joseph indicates, a big stride forward will be made.. Already New Zealanders are in naval training in another way. Admiral Fawkes stated that on the Pioneer, lying in Bluff Harbour, more than half the crew were New Zealanders, and these men were doing remarkably well. Last year 41 Australians and New Zealanders had been sent Home, and he had had the best account of their behaviour and intelligence, both from Home ports and the Channel Fleet. He hoped this year forty more men would go Home. ■These men would come back to New Zealand after completion of their term with about £50 for every year of their service, this amount being set aside for them every year. They , would come back with an intimate knowledge of control and discipline, which had been a characteristic of the British Navy for the last fifty years, and would help to spread the Imperial idea. All this augurs well, for the future of our local navy. Our ''handy men" are being trained in the best possible school, and when the time comes to man a fleet of our own we should be able to furnish the ships with crews able and ileady to maintain the best traditions of the British Navy.

the following letter was received from j him : _^_" Unless the Farmers' Union can do something practical for the' farmers, it might as well not exist, j It has made no effort to stem the advancing tide of Socialism which is having a deleterious effect on this country. Complaints are coming from farmers and employers of unskilled labour all over the country about the scarcity of suitable labour, notwithstanding that servants in any avenue of employment are paid higher wages than in any other part of the world. Millions of pounds are lost eVery year in New Zealand because people have to do what they can themselves and let the rest spoil on account of the labour trouble. The Government are mainly to blame for encouraging Socialism, and they are against an immigration scheme for fear of losing the Socialists' vote. Twelve million people are on the verge of starvation in ne Old Country because they cannot, get work. Many of these would willingly work if they could get half a chance. If the Farmers' Union cannot force the Government's hands to an immigration scheme, the union should consider the advisability of importations of unskilled labour on its own account; or do their duty at the next election and ' chuck' the Government overboard. The colonial servant is getting spoon-fed and spoiled, and too independent. The colonial article is incompetent, unreliable, and high-priced—quite the reverse in the Old Country. Canada receives 200,000 in immigrants every year. Could not New Zealand absorb 10,000?" The writer of this letter does not appear to be aware of the fact that every ship from England is bringing immigrants to the country, who fortunately are being readily absorbed. This fact alone discounts much of what he writes. Still, it is undeniable that there is great scarcity of labour, and that New Zealand can for some ■, time to come readily absorb all that , reaches her shores. Another aspect of the question is that men will not .work persistently. They regard labour as a necessary evil, to furnish the necessities of the hour in food and clothing, but continuous effort in order to provide for the proverbial " rainy day" seems to be beyond many of the labouring classes, though fortunately there are honourable exceptions. In Poverty Bay, we learn from a recent exchange, farmers are experiencing a good deal of difficulty in getting labour, and, some are offering Is 6d an hour, but even that does not induce men to come forward. There are plenty of men out of work, but as they have a little money they will wait, until tU.at; is gone, then there will be no difficulty in getting labour for Is an hour. » How is this spirit of improvidence alid indolence to be combated?: ;