EMPIRE’S IDEALS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 190, 13 July 1936, Page 7

EMPIRE’S IDEALS

BIG CAMPAIGN PLANNED. CO-OPERATION IMPERATIVE. COMMON DEFENCE MEASURES. (United Press Association.—-By Electric Tclegrapli.—Copyright.) Received July 13, 9.2 U a.m. > LONDON, July 12. The Observer states that, in. coVtneotion with the Joseph Chamberlain Centenary, a great campaign is being started in the autumn throughout Britain to carry out the Empire’s ideals.

Sir Henry Page-Croft, the chairman of the committee, says a strong panel of speakers_ will address meetings in the big cities dealing witii the outstanding Imperial questions, including trade, shipping, and migration, witii a view to impressing the country with the imperativeness of Imperial cooperation before the Imperial Conference of 1937.

“If foreigners, using subsidies, have driven British ships off the seas we must use counter-measures, and also urge that British finance assist the expansion of overseas industry and agriculture, enabling migration. The Dominions should be encouraged to adopt common defence measures, especially contributions to the air forces, which might be the greatest deterrent to aggression,” the Observer declares.

BRITISH FLEET

URGENCY OF CONSTRUCTION

“MATTER OE LIFE AND DEATH.”

LONDON, July 11

“Britain has delayed rebuilding her Fleet so Jong that it is now essential to have virtually a new Fleet strong enough to go anywhere and carry out its duties under any condition,” said Sir Samuel Hoare (First Lord of the Admiralty) at Southampton. ‘‘That the new Fleet must be built oil the right lines is a matter of life and death to us.

‘‘Every possible effort will be made to avail ourselves of practical experience and scientific discoveries in order to ensure the soundest methods. If Britain's sea communications were cut off our supply of raw materials would last throe months, which would be more than we would need, as within six weeks wc would bo dead from star-

vation. ‘‘The new and formidable threat of air power has made what was once the most secure island in world the most vulnerable society in Europe, lienee our determination to build such a Fleet at the earliest possible moment and also equally quickly to reach air parity with the strongest. Powers within range of our shores. Out of £23,000,000 ior the naval construction programme, so far £20,000.has gone in orders to depressed areas.”