NEW ZEALAND'S NAVAL POLICY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15558, 16 March 1914, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND'S NAVAL POLICY

It appears to be inevitable that Parliament should be asked next session to authorise the construction of a cruiser for the protection of the New Zealand coasts. The statement made by Mr. Massey last October committed the Government to this course, unless, in the interval, the British Admiralty should send out two Bristol cruisers to replace the Pyramus and Psyche on the New Zealand station. The note attached to the Naval Estimates just presented to the House of Commons indicates that the Admiralty has no intention of doing this. The note i states that the Philomel will be transferred to New Zealand, and two light cruisers will be retained for the New Zealand division, and will be manned by New Zealanders. Read in conjunction with Mr. Ma-ssey's statement, it seems clear that the First Lord's note refers, not to Bristol cruisers, but to the Pyramus and Psjche. The Philomel is already in New Zealand waters. Clearly the Admiralty is so impressed with the need for concentration in Home waters that it has decided against sending any morn) effective ships than the obsolete cruisers now on the New Zealand coast. By that decision it negatives the last effort of the Massey Government to maintain the position created by the agreement of 1909. Under that agreement there was to be a Pacific fleet of three units, and a portion of the China unit, consisting of two Bristol cruisers, three destroyers, and two submarines, was to be stationed in New Zealand waters. Although our subsidy was increased from that year and a battleship was presented to the Imperial Navy, the Admiralty has been unable to carry out its part in the agreement. No Pacific fleet has been created, no submarines or destroyers have been sent to New Zealand, and the only warships showing the flag in these waters have been the inferior cruisers Pyramus and Psyche, with the Philomel, designed to serve as a training-ship, a

recent addition. The inadequacy of this force is in no sense the fault of the New Zealand Government. Our obligations under the agreement have been faithfully discharged, and in a vain effort to retain the agreement, even in a form hardly recognisable, the New Zealand Government offered to dispense with destroyers and submarines, and raise the subsidy by half if two Bristol cruisers were provided. Even this modification of the 1909 agreement has not been accepted, and it may be inferred from the note attached to the Naval Estimates that the refusal is final. No criticism can be levelled at the Admiralty for failing to carry out the 1909 agreement. The competition in armaments has become so severe that the Admiralty is only able to maintain a 60 per cent, margin over Germany in Home waters, and a one-Power standard in the Mediterranean. No effort is being made to establish either-a Pacific fleet or an Imperial patrol. The Admiralty has been forced to ask New Zealand to provide whatever naval strength she desires on her coasts, and it would be futile to suggest that this is a hardship. The intention of the Government is to provide a fast, modern cruiser, at a first cost of £400,000 and an annual charge of about £90,000, and Parliament will doubtless sanction the expenditure.