IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9197, 23 April 1910, Page 3

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

— . COLONIAL RESPONSIBILITY. (By Electric Telegbaph—Copyright.) (Feb Pbess Association.) -LONDON, April 22. The Times, speaking editorially, says the principle that national armaments must be at the disposal of the Parliaments building and maintaining them is the fundamental condition of all cooperation in Imperial Defence, but Sir ..Wilfrid Laurier's argument tends to obscure the fact that, although compulsion to take part in Imperial wars cannot come from within, it may come from without. If the Empire be at war, Canada is at war, oven though she does not participate in actual hostilities. While it is true that Canada had no direct interest in the Crimean war, Russia, would not have considered herself debarred from raiding the Canadian coasts. These actual responsibilities are involved in any system of Imperial partnership. "They were directly recognised by Mr Fisher on behalf of Australia," added the Times, "and we consider Sir F. W. Borden (Canadian Minister of Defence) was justified in insisting they should be recognised in the Canadian Navy Bill." MELBOURNE, April 22.

Colonel Kirkpatrick was appointed In-spector-General of the Commonwealth force before he left Australia, but the announcement was delayed till the War Office's consent was obtained. The appointment had Lord Kitchener's hearty approval.