DEFENCE IN THE PACIFIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18706, 12 May 1924, Page 8

DEFENCE IN THE PA CIFIC

NEW ZEALAND'S POLICY. MORE EXPENDITURE. CERTAIN DOMINION'S NAVAL DIVISION ." 'i "We can look forward with certainty," said the Prime Minister in the course of an interview, "to spending; £1,000,000 a year on naval defence. The annual cost to"* the' Dominion is getting -toward ! 7.that sum now, but it is; Certain that withuva, year or two the - total will - reach the million mark, , ~..'•, .... "Even if the ; authorised contribution toward the: Singapore -base project be not required in the future, the money will be required 1 - for a second cruiser for the New Zealand division of the : Navy. Development of the Dominion's part^ in, Empire naval defence is inevitable. J It is a matter of-'duty.".,.''..' ■■'../■/■'■ ■ : -.-■ " v ':'■ It was recognised, explaine'd the Prime Minister, ' that adequate oil-fuel depots must be established in New Zealand ports.; The tanks for the Auckland depot on the North ■ Shore• were being constructed in; England, and would be sent out in sec-! tions, to bo .assembled and erected on the site. ;,vv: v ■■'■"■[ \. .. * ;i'As regards the projected scheme of Empire wireless communication- j;he Gov- • eminent had not yet made any definite plans for the construction of a nigh- ; power wireless station, but the secretary, of the Post Office, Mr. Markman, who ' had gone abroad to attend the International Postal Conference, confer with the British authorities and experts; on wireless, and' report to the Govern-; ment- ■as to the best model* plant; An efficient station would certainly be established in New Zealand. -"It* had been decided, '} Mr. Massey added, to retain the name of Dunedin for the new flagship of; the New Zealand division.. : There was no intention !'to' change its name to " New Zealand.".,,,,-. : NAVY LEAGUE'S ACTIVITIES. 7; A BROADCASTED ; MESSAGE. ■' A message on the special significance of the visit of the ■ Imperial Service Squadron was broadcasted by wireless ion Saturday evening by the chairman of the . Auckland branch of the Navy-League, ' Mr. A. G. Lunn." ;• '■"" '"- \ . .-'l--.' * Mr. Lunn emphasised : the importance of every citizen realising the; urgent , need of an efficient means,of defence for the Dominion. He pointed out the unsettled and disturbed conditions of ; political : affairs in Europe on the one hand, and the great activity in regard to the construction of cruisers •in - Japan on * the ■ other, stating :< .that ; the Japanese naval programme equalled the total programme for" light cruisers of both the . United States and Great ?. Britain^":'.; This, < coupled ; with the fact that: Jtipan ; was ■.-< extremely > irritated by the exclusion clause of the American • Immigration ' Bill/ .K gave } food ; for serious thinking among the citizens of. the Dominion, who had a high standard of living .; compared with the ■: standard. existing in Japan and other countries. If we ..wished vto retain our ''■: happy.V position;. these faats showed that we must be prepared to defend it. One means suggested whereby , everyone might' help' to \ effect > this '•■ purpose '£' was ■. for every citizen i \ to; join an active, organisation ;-,■ which was faking an ': active }■ part -in > this movement j for home defence, namely, the • Navy, League.. , _'~ . . ,' ■►■-_ . -".