MR A. M. MYERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8748, 2 June 1914, Page 5

MR A. M. MYERS

INTERVIEWED IN AUCKLAND

Press Association,

AUCKLAND, June 1. Among the passengers who arrived by, the Niagara was. Mr A. M. Myers, M.P., who has been on a visit to England. Interviewed, Mr Myers ; expressed surprise at the numerous invitations he received to various public functions at which he was called upon to speak. The Empire Parliamentary Association did everything possible v to make his visit a pleasant and interesting one. Turning to the question of defence, Mr Myers said, that this important question had never been, and he hoped would not be, treated as a party question. Therefore, he had spoken hi» own convictions with every freedom. As sound defence and .national security should be the first plank in every political creed, his views were that, having regard to the present situation (that is to say, the unexpected developments on the North Sea and in European waters) having presumably influenced the Admiralty to deviate from the original terms agreed upon at the 1909 conference, there was every justification for a reconsideration of the whole position. As an outpost of Empire in the Pacific Ocean, which in futtjre was likely to be the .main theatre of international rivalry, the time hod arrived for New Zealand to prepare, commencing obviously in a small way, for such a contingency. The building up of navies for the Dominions, properly ' manned, trained, and organised, in proportion to, their own population and wealth, fee ventured* to assert, would assist, in creating a naval and national spirit, and, irrespective of its defensive value, would give the ideal of a united Empire a fresh impetus.