WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THE EMPIRE ?

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13484, 10 May 1907, Page 5

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THE EMPIRE ?

,' :■■:!■ ADMIRAL FAWKES AT WELLINGTON. [BY telegraph.—own correspondent.] : .>?. '< '..;".'".'•" Wellington, Thursday. ' "We arc still waiting to see what is to ' v /".be done about the navy," said Vice-Admiral Fawkes on Tuesday night at the naval ban- ... *' quet, after referring to the recent pro- • posals about the remodelling of the defence ; '..' of the Empire. "It would be very strange : indeed if the navy was not willing to help • ; Australasia in the directions in which the Parliaments would decide. The effect of • 20 years had been to render some of the ... forts obsolete. It was in, 1887 that Aus- , i , tralasia gave a subsidy for a fleet to be stationed in these waters, but after 15 . , years of peace the vessels became out of c date. Then a much better arrangement . .- was adopted, for the countries out here agreed to contribute men as well as ;/".;■',' money." ;■ ..■ ■'■'■.■. _.'.'.■.■■. _ ■; ,•/'.:. ■ Admiral Fawkes thought that it would : • be difficult to arrange for the interchanges ■ ' of men, and he therefore hoped that the training of Australians would be carried ' out on board of British ships. Self-sacri- '*'•'* fice was wanted. There should always be ".?/ this question before each State, "What 'can we do for the Empire?" He was quite certain that in that spirit New Zealand ' would act iv time of danger to the Empire, - and he thought the . sister nations would • meet again if needed as they had done in s'. South Africa. ','■. . •. . >, :;: