IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 5802, 20 January 1906, Page 7

IMPERIAL QUESTIONS.

‘■iTATB-OVVNK't) CABLES. THK COLON IKS AM) NAVAL I defence. Taking «IvunW;<> ”? t.h- prorene- in ! Wn!lint?U«i of Mi - I’ 11 ! it ■..-li- ; known writer on Imperial im low —vxind lour ol He .sa-ai.....^ ropriwmtativct oi H*‘ ’ • Sl ' ,>Vl I'inutH ’’ w>H|{ht. _«n interview -v-m an: j on vanoua t.t 1 f/j.■« r; ! inberort.. Asa k<vn otx.ei'ver. and | in olowi touch pul””' m*'” •*' Britain ami too - 1 '' ‘. 11l porovcmin of , A * , opimon l * ih.it. ■<-: 1 "■ ••o' l , l ' t! ‘ to the ( <,nroli*la-.nn ol <m. Eniptle. Will l.li<- Lili'-nil liiiperialmth IWI t j„, Government:' w.m til” . {W, c/u.wtwm of «>«r reprcreiitalm:. , ■ CmJ.)u!jt(«lly,'’ i«i<! -'ll' <l''h>>, 1 llu’iV j in a um.iU WH illlnential contingent ol litorals who nr" siiiooruly .iniiouji to | Uko aulvantag*? of “very opl<oi't*mn> to , wnsolidia.; the Empire. On 1 hand, I <io not ih'Mk the, hulk o. no j party, or the Lhour members. real se L yet how vital that i,n<BUon w rapidly Wnnm" to Lath- l-indund. At ho ; ♦ if. probable i that tho ii-.r-'T :l whoio would ho | ,-Ul to <!o i-nineUung. di-iintu* for m;,ri.i! union, by way of allowing that Ji . v T. r „ im (.<*). 1 ImpiTiulists a-. UK' other" si.lo. In thin rotpect thrir (K.sition twanbU-s titu o: the CanarL-.n j Liborafe. now ... ,K,w.*r when the, .a. Into oil.ee in I Wo. They hail »*•*" identified pnrrioiwl)' with the pr<>grammo of commercial untou with th United Staton. Finding. that the ' Imperial taint wax null to them, they irrt rodue.d then tial tariff, chiefly in order to nexne ott , *&7S?s& But: If another lm|-‘fial C’onfereiice | 10m hies, there » <«*• "•“ ; it might take up in a pr.w-tii.il ••. with the hearty t.uppoit ot , 1 v •- Xul Imporialiat. ’H.O «!«««<»“ £ Bta to-owned e-ihl-;-; I co reside _ of vital importance. It e* not n - . a matter of defence ami commerce, hut of a better inntuiil nrideretandina:. wpocinlly tiromth an ‘«P n> * l^ iwrvico for the pres*. Ihr tnmb at j present is twofold. In tho first | .j Clare too hitch; in *>« tho intellip/inco is ..ometimw «iok«l ; In Canada Mr Chamberlain s poln j j wonw to have porHislonUx n«v teproscuted by tho CUnadun U ■ ■ nwiiation'h a«onfc m iMielnnd. Uorc, also, it seonw that there w much m.-.-UndoratandiuK of he l»hcy. Iho other nu'ht, at tho anti-Chinoso mwting, for example*, it was allegwl that tho cable nows from South Africa ln>d bi’en "rookod. 1 ' . 0 Him is thin to bo prevented. "Tlh. only lerr.idy for tbs is btatc-oivii<-i cables, and a reduction of rales pitch as would enable every paper to have full and reliable information. Sir Bandfmxl Fleming, the Canadian expert, says that we might oven have a free flablo service for tho pros?, 'raf out financial l«a. The Pacific wble is the tint link in the ftystotn. But experience has already shown that one link of tho chain is not of much use without the olhurs. It » nec««axy now to expropriate the Histeru hxlout.iou Company, a monopoly .which to* fought tooth and nail to lull tho lmifie cable, and is n very powerful corporation at Homo. The Literati are bettor fitted to tackle it than the Conservative!. If they remove this obstacle to tho Stato-ownod cable system, they will have fully indicated their urofeattions of couatructive Imperialism. Tho Now Zealand Government already has done exccllout service in this cause. I hope, when the time oomoa, that public opintpn hero will make itself hoard. A public meeting, or Parliamentary reaoluUous, urging all tho Governments to take lie matter up, would bo more useful to tho Umpire than the meeting held tho other uight. La Ciuuula going to do anything tbout naval dolonce? ‘1 find the Opportunity, when paosmg througli t'iUUHJ-1, of dtoeusaiug tii.it tiuenUou with many young Canadian.-. Aino, it wua ventilated in the papoi's, and by public speakers, in connection with tho Nelson dolebnitionu. It teens ([lute lertain that tho Dominion will never grant a cent, of subsidy W the Admiralty. But the peop.o eyilienlly fee! the humiliation ol their prevent position, and intend to make a beginning in tho formation of a liujadian apimiron. They will retain complete control. There can be no doubt that they will spend money much inora jf rooty ou t*hw wiivri t-lioj were merely subsidising tho British taxpayor." , Is not the Admiralty opposed to colonial navtoaP <r sfcu, bocaußO c odo floot ozio control is a fundanwintal atrategie principle. But I think it in beginning to be questioned whether after all the two principles are ready incompatible. Lately » Canadian Minister was in England giving orders for fishery-protection cruisers. Uo talked Canadian navy, and there was some editorial comment. Ear some time past both the "Morning I’ost,” representing Conservative policy, arid the weekly "Outlook,” which is cak! to voice Mr Chamberlain, have boon advocating the plan of separate colonial squadrons. Tho "Spectator," X think, has long favoured the idea. 1-itely I lead a .sjx"ec!i of Mr Lyttelton's. tho late Colonial Secretary, in wliioh ho practically endorsed the principle. This is an example of tho Conservatives giving a lead in Liberal policy. If Liberals had approved the idea ten years ago, they would have Jhmui denounced an anti-imperialists. it is, I have no doubt the preesont Government will heartily support tho Canadian tendency. As a British taxpayer. I see tho best proopret of permanent relief in fhe decentralisation of tho navy.” Surely Now Zealand con Id not be expected to maintain a squadron of her o*-n f 'That will always bo a qaestion for New Zealanders to determine. It mkdi!. s«dii lews nbonrd in fifty years’ time. At pm : ent it soomn more natural for New Zealand to 00-openvte with Australia in naval defence*.