NAVAL DEFENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15563, 21 March 1914, Page 8

NAVAL DEFENCE.

STATEMENT BY MR. MASSEY. PROPOSED CRUISER. TO COST £4C0,000. (BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Greymouth, Friday. When delivering a political address here to-night, the Prime Minister said that he would deal with the question of defence first, on account of what Mr. ' Winston Churchill had said in one of his latest speeches on the question. What the Government had done in connection with defence, he contended, was right. The cost of New Zealand's support of the Imperial Navy was over £240,000 per annum in interest, sinking fund, contributions, etc. When the Minister for Defence went Home he got very few satisfactory replies to his inquiries about the agreement for supplying the cruisers and submarines promised in 1909. The Government was strongly of the opinion that a training-ship should be provided for the training of New Zeaalnd boys. A ship had now been lent to the Government, and would be used for training purposes. The training-ship would not cost the people anything, as the sum required for upkeep comes out of the contribution to the Imperial Navy. Mr. Winston Churchill's statement about Australasian defence, that Australasia's safety was guaranteed by the BritishJapanese alliance, did not apepal to him. The Government intended to ask that a cruiser be built for the purpose of defending New Zealand ports. The cost of the cruiser would be £400,000, and the upkeep about £90,000 per annum. It would cost about £15,000 more to maintain her in this part of the world than if she were in Home waters.