SUPREMACY AT SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23055, 4 June 1938, Page 15

SUPREMACY AT SEA

NAVY LEAGUE IDEALS INTERNATIONAL TROUBLES STRONG DEFENCES ESSENTIAL "It is no use just hoping: that things will be all right; our only chance of avoiding war is not to chatter about peace, but to make the Empire strong enough to command it," said Commander C. H T. Palmer, president of the Auckland branch of the Navy League, at the annual meeting last night. He referred to recent international developments in various parts of the world. "We are delighted to hear of the official recognition of the fact that the New Zealand-born naval personnel is of such a high standard and that every opportunity will be taken to increase its numbers and train the men both locally and in co-operation with the Royal Australian Navy," Commander Palmer said. "New Zealand can produce a splendid quota of naval personnel, and I believe that we are in sight of some method to make more use of the amateur seamen available for service in time of trouble. Gesture of Loyalty Suggested "A professor recently returned from England implied that England did not want us. I cannot imagine what type of Englishman he met, and certainly they were not the sort of men who made the British Empire what it is to-day. The Britishers 1 have met have expressed entirely different views and have so praised the people of this country that we must live up to the standard set. "New Zealand's need for British supremacy at Bea is so vital that until we have a powerful squadron of battleships with their attendant craft based on Singapore there can be no sense of security for British shipping in the Pacific or the people there. While we cannot afford battleships, surely New Zealand can afford as a gesture of esteem and loyalty to place another H.M.S. New Zealand on the Navy List." The Election of Officers The chairman, Mr. J. H. Frater, mentioned that since the close of the financial year 60 adult apd about 200 junior members had been enrolled. He appealed for additional support in view of the discontinuance of the annual street appeal. The report and balance-sheet, as published in the Herald on June 1, was adopted. The following officers were elected:— President, Commander C. H. T. Palmer; chairman. Mr. J. H. Frater; executive council, Lieutenant-Com-mander E. Nisbet and Messrs. S. A. Burt, H. T. Gibson, W. J. Crowther, H. T. Goldie, C. A. Whitney, M. Copeland, A. K. M. Clark, H. S. Whitehorn and H. O. Wiles, Mesdames T. H. Palmer, M. R. Shera, C. Webber, H. Tiarks and F. H. Gifford.