FIFTY YEARS AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22619, 6 January 1937, Page 6

FIFTY YEARS AGO

DEFENCE OF NEW ZEALAND * Negotiations between the Minister j of Defence and the Admiralty regarding the conditions under which New Zealand should contribute toward colonial defence were in progress 50 years ago, and in some quarters it was considered that the equivalent which the New Zealand Government should j receive for it.s contribution should include the presence of two ships-of-war in New Zealand waters. The following nn extract from the Nkw Zealand Hkrauj of January 7, 1 st *7: — jj "It we are to co-operate, it is. of course, necessary to have a proper understanding as to the arrangements, and not be dissatisfied and growling afterward. We have been fortifying otherwise providing for what may he | called our local defence, but it ' s quite plain that if war. which ne have ? no voice in eithei creating or averting- | should couie about, the shores of Ne* | Zealand woidd provide more suitable cruising grounds for the Imperial | Navy than those of Australia. At pro- ; sent, in time of peace, or even when j hostilities are expected, we rarely | know, except by hearsay, that there * is an Ini|>erial squadron in ocean. j. and it is seldom that a man-of-war o | our own navy puts in at any of our j four main ports. ... • "The situation in the South PacinC > lia.s been quite revolutionised, not onl. j by the growth of colonies and t ' l ® j enormous tide of British commerce th*» j crosses its waters, but by the presence of other European Powers which haj 0 • acquired foothold here now that tie Panama Canal is in prospect. If we a|" e , to pay for naval arrangements ( ' e^ tal j j things should be agreed upon and fixe beforehand, and not be left si bject to the accidents of individual discretio or rival iniluence."