AN OUTSIDE VIEW

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8612, 24 December 1913, Page 4

AN OUTSIDE VIEW

In its comment the other day upon what is politely termed the New Zealand naval. policy, the Sydney “Daily Telegraph” was rather more outspoken than was indicated in the brief portion cabled. After referring to this country's “patriotic and spontaneous generosity” in presenting a battlecruiser to the Mother Country, our contemporary goes on to say; —“Since that fine act of policy and Empire sense, however, New Zealand has lapsed into what might almost be called naval indifference. From the original programme of a fleet of cruisers, destroyers, and submarines it has como down, to a scheme of naval training and borrowing old-fashioned ships from the Navy. From all the high faintin’ talk about helping toward the defence of the south Pacific the declension is to a statement that if there is no satisfactory arrangement for protection of that region before next year, the Government will propose to build one fast, modern ctaiser at a cost of about £400,000. The kings of the earth in fear will tremble when they hear that if they have oast envious eyes at the southern Pacific they will have to blow New Zealand’s £400,000 cruiser to smithereens before they can get there and endure there. As to joining in with the Australian squadron, the New Zealand Government hae stated with generous dignity that it will never think of that, but that there is nothing to prevent New Zealand going to the help of Australia or any part of the Empire in time of needso that if by some mischance of war a foreign raider or two should arrive here all we shall have to do will bo to cable to New Zealand for the little cruiser and several steamerloads of men to burst through and rescue us.”