STRONGER FLEET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22353, 26 February 1936, Page 18

STRONGER FLEET

EMPIRE'S NEEDS ' DOMINION'S CONTRIBUTION NAVY LEAGUE CONFERENCE [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday Addressing the conference of the New Zealand Navy League branches to-day the president, Sir James Grose, advocated increasing the strength of the Navy to meet the Empire's requirements during the next ten years. Sir James said the educational work of the Navy League would be very necessary and it behoved all citizens, therefore, to give the league moral and financial support. Vice-Admiral J. E. f. Harper addressed the conference, stressing the < need of obtaining new members. The conference passed remits requesting the New Zealand Government to increase its contribution toward the Royal Navy, urging the provision of ni ore recreational facilities at the De\onport Naval Base, suggesting that Royal New Zealand Air Force pilots should be given instruction in handling seaplanes, proposing the provision of better facilities for boys to enter the Mercantile Marine, expressing appreciation of the fact that efforts aie being made to cope with subsidised foreign shipping, and urging that whenever Government officials of Empire countries travel' abroad they should be compelled to travel in British ships. Mr. C. H. T. Palmer, of Auckland, was elected Dominion president, and Mr. R- Darroch was re-elected secretary. ,