CONTROL IN PACIFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17151, 3 May 1919, Page 9

CONTROL IN PACIFIC.

POSITION OF JAPAN.

SIR J. ALLEN UNEASY. , THE MARSHALL ISLANDS. [by telegraph.—press association.] DUNEDIN, Friday. In a speech at the annual mee ing of' 1 the Otago branch of the Navy League, ; the Acting-Prime Minster, Sir James Alien, said he d.d not view without a 1 co siderable armMu of alarm the po-i- ---' tiou in the Pacific we were taki.ig under

our mandate. A portion ot tne ierr.tor.es previously occupied by the Germans and o-her islands in the Pac.hc wvuld probamy be handed over to a nation mat, during the war, had been our friend. We cou.u not say tnat ihai lia.iun would remain friendly for all time. He l.oked with a good deal of suspicion uptn the occupation of the Mars, Is.ands, by the Japanese. 'the Marshall Islands were about half-way between Japan and j>ev Zealand and Japan aid Australia. It seemed hard to Li.id any reason why the Japanese wanted to occupy the Marshall Is ands, except a wish to dominate the Pacific' | Continuing, Sir James Allen said he did not know what would result from the conference at Home, or what the position might bo with respect to the mandate of Japan with regard to the Marshall Is-' lands. During the war an undertaking was arrived at with reference to the iß'ands north of the equator, and the islands south of the equator. That I undertaking having been made, the EmI pire could not break its word, and if the | Marshalls had to go to Japan, we must ' put up with that position. He hoped satisfactory arrangements would be made with rfiferpTicfi to the nnestinn of fortifi-,

cations, etc. He did not wish to underrate what Japan had done in the war. The fact that she was present in the Pacific made things comparatively safe for us, and every credit must be given her I for the services she had rendered. He hoped Japan had no intention of spreading her wings right over the Pacific, but he feared there was a possibility. The Minister added that it was impossible to give any idea of what our own naval policy would be. Lord Jellicoe was on the way to give advice. It was never in the Minister's mind to create a special navy be'onging to New Zealand, but if we were to protect the seas every part of the i Empire had to have the opportunity to ' take its share. It was not sufficient to pay

j early a certain amount of money. We must pay for our sure protection in men, • and it would be an everlasting d : sgrace to New Zealand if the Motherland had to enter into any naval combat in which New Zealand was not represented by some of its manhood. If we valued our freedom, it was our duty to take a share, and train our men for our unit in the Imperial Navy. He did not know what elrps or machines j would be required in the future. It wa." i necessary to consider what should be done . in regard to air service. The speaker did not propose to enter into a large policy \ of aviation, but he thought it wou'd be : necessary to have a minimum establish- • ment of experts here, in order thalt if war i broke out we mieht be in a position to train men for defence purposes. If need, arose, our machines could be used for other j than military purposes, and there was no reason why civilian and military functions should not be combined. Men had a'ready been trained in flying in New Zealand, and some of these had pained ereat reputations, and won high distinctions. However, with regard to both the naval and , the air nolicy of the future, he wou'd ask j the people to exercise patience until the opinion of experts was avai'able.