PACIFIC NAVAL POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15563, 21 March 1914, Page 6

PACIFIC NAVAL POLICY.

It is generally admitted that the naval defence of the Empire is not at present in a satisfactory condition and that there is a lack of understanding between the various colonial governments and the Imperial Government. In these circumstances it is very easy and very natural to suggest a conference. It should be remembered, however, that a conference may be helpful or merely embarrassing according to whether it is timely or untimely. One suggestion is that the conference should be limited to the Australian, New Zealand, and British Governments, to the exclusion of Canada. But obviously such a conference would be of very little value. The chief concern of Australia and New Zealand is as to balance of naval power in the Pacific, but Canada's interests in that ocean are at least as great as ours, and a conference at which she was not represented would be quite inconclusive. It is also evident that i Canada could not with advantage be a party to a conference at the present time. The proposed gift was described by Mr. Borden as an emergency one and he' promised to disclose a permanent policy when the i ships were authorised. The enunciation of this permanent policy will raise vital party issues in Canada; in the meantime there can be little real value in a conference which cannot be fully representative. The suggestion put forward by Lord Charles Beresford for an Imperial committee, including representatives of all parties in the House of Commons, a few experts, and representatives of the Dominions, to evolve a really business-like scheme of Imperial defence is worthy of consideration. Such a committee could be of use in restating the Pacific problem as it is affected by various considerations of policy and strategy, and the sentiment of the British communities interested. The committee would necessarily have no executive authority, but its deliberations would be of real value in helping the Dominion Governments and the Admiralty to understand each other and to aim at a common goal. %