NAVY LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21161, 19 April 1932, Page 11

NAVY LEAGUE.

AUCKLAND ACTIVITIES. DANGER OF DISARMAMENT. DEFENCE OF SEA ROUTES. "I cannot relinquish the office of president of the Auckland Navy League without doing my utmost to warn the people of New Zealand of the grave position of danger into which we are drifting by the continued reduction of our naval defence forces," said Mr. A. G. Lunn at the annual meeting of the Auckland branch of the league last evening. There was a large attendance. !'There are many people who fondly imagine that wars have ceased and that the League of Nations will prevent any future conflicts between nations. Much as I would like to believe this, I regret to say that from my studies of human nature I cannot bring myself to believe that this millenium has yet arrived or is likely to arrive. The recent affair in China has demonstrated the impotence of the League of Nations and I am inclined to agree with tho Rt. Hon. Winston Churchill that if the British Navy had been at its pre-war strength there would havo been no China-Japanese war. It was under the beneficent influence of the British Navy for many years that the peace of the world was maintained and the nations of the world built up their greatness and prosperity. Protection of the Empire. "Possibly duo to the growing up into manhood of the young British colonies which have now mostly obtained the status of Dominions, it would seem to me that the British ' Parliament is concentrating its attention on its own particular protection, where it has to protect approximately 45,000,000 people and ensure the protection of the waters immediately surrounding Great Britain, thus ensuring their supplies of food and raw materials. They seem to have lost sight of tho fact that approximately 450,000,000 people are living in countries contiguous to the Pacific and Indian Oceans and the China Sea who claim the British Navy as their protector. "This naturally means the existence of an adequate number of cruisers. Lord Jellicoe and Lord Beatty tell us that the minimum number of cruisers essential to our safety, to guard the 85,000 miles of trade routes, is 70, and we can take it that their opinions are of value. The former British Government officially stated its intention of reducing that number to 50, but according to the present rate of building we cannot have more than 39 effective cruisers in 1936, little over half of that minimum figure."

Valuable Social Work, The annual report referred in terms of the highest approbation to the actions of the commander and crew of H.M.S. Veronica during the Napier earthquake. Tho entire resources of the league were placed at the disposal of tho authorities and a considerable sum was raised for the refugee children who were cared for at Motuihi Island. The league later presented a silver cup, known as the Veronica Cup, for perpetual inter-ship competition between tho ships on the station to commemorate the division's great services during the disaster. It presented another cup for tho promotion of efficiency among the trainees on t H.M.S. Philomel. A substantial donation was also given to the naval chajilain's sick and necessitous fund.

Following its usual custom, the league gave parcels of books to the warships for distribution on their Islands cruise to the white settlers on the lonely islands of the Pacific. These were much appreciated. It also supplied books to the lighthouse-keepers and at Christmas parcels of toys were sent to the children of all the northern lighthouse-keepers by tho girls' branch. The ladies' committee had also done much to aid the needy by making garments for the dependants of ex-Navy men whose fathers were out of work.

The report was adopted. Paymaster-Captain C. Parkef was elected president and Commander W. J. Connors chairman. The following were elected to the committee: —Mesdames R. W. Gallangher, E. Shera, J. A. S. Glasgow, K. Palmer, Misses A. Basten, E. Brown, M. A. Parker. I. Watts, E. G. Wallace, E. Statham, Messrs. S. A. Burt, M. Copeland, W. J. Crowther, A. S. Galbraith, H. T. Gilson, 11. T. Goldie, F. S. T. Little, Glut ha Mackenzie, W. R. Reynolds, C. A. Whitney and General Palmer.