DOMINIONS & DEFENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8264, 29 October 1912, Page 7

DOMINIONS & DEFENCE

JOINT DIRECTION BURDEN IMPOSED BY NAVAL RIVALRY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright LONDON, October 27. Mr Lewis Harcourt, Secretary of Stato for tho Colonics, speaking at Watford yesterday, said ho saw no obstablo to the Dominions being given a larger share of the executive direction of defence. Ho would welcome more continuous representation by Dominion Ministers in Britain. Ho was convinced that as a result of the Canadian Ministers’ recent visit no effort would bo wanting on their part to provide any assistance and support they might doom necessary to maintain and oven strengthen Britain’s supremacy at sea. Everybody would be glad if a member or members from tho Oversea Governments could be annually in London; formality of an Imperial Conference for tho continuance of Imperial confidence was not needed.

Mr Harcourt, in his speech at Roseendalo on Friday, said that though friendship and understanding with Germany had greatly improved, naval rivalry had added largely to the cost of the British preparations to meet tho new Gorman Navy Law. The Government was prepared to maintain a measured, but sufficient, superiority over tho next strongest naval Power. Concentration of great unite in the North Sea would occasion sparser British occupation, though it would not take from hor the command of other seas. It was intended to maintain Britain’s position in tho Mediterranean firmly, as hitherto.