NEW ZEALAND NAVY

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 183, 4 August 1920, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND NAVY

CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT'S

POLICY

MR WILFOirO CRITICISES

[FRO3I OUR CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON, Aug. 3.

The Government's change in its naval policy was criticised in the House to-night' for the first time, the critic being Mr Wilford, who announced that he wished to talk about the Prime Minister's Navy, the Chatham, which would cost £260,000 « >ear to maintain, but New Zealand \ ould cease to pay the £100,000 subsidy to the Brivish Navy, though the Prime Minister ought to know that this country would never be able to iran a, navy. The only naval defence this country would tolerate vould be subimrinep, with a base in Queen Charlotte Sound and hydroplane spotters. What was the use of a 20-knot cruiser yd'en America recently launched a. 30-knot battleship ? Immediately a ship was - out-gunned or beaten in speed she was obsolete. Mr Mflssey: "What do you suggest we should do?" .

Mr Wilford: "I suggest that you should have no navy whatever,' and T intend to vote against it on every visible occasion."

Mr Massey: "Why, I could man one ship with the naiivj, race."'

Mr Wilford: "You could run this country with six secretaries, and he ccok and bosun of the battleship, too.''—(La iiglrt&r).