"SILL DO OUR SHARE”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11217, 24 May 1922, Page 6

"SILL DO OUR SHARE”

NAVAL CONTRIBUTIONS NEW ZEALAND'S ATTITUDE EXPLAINED. ' STATEMENT BY TREAT!ER. A statement with regard to Now Zealand n attiiude in regard to Lne D'j’rjinion contributions towards the Imperial Navy, was made by the Prime Minister the other day with a view to clearing up the misapprehension v.ireh has aiiscn, that New Zealand lias been waiting ior some declaration or request from "the Admiralty betore increasing her naval contribution. This, it appears, is quite ii correct. The subieet_was thoroughly discussed at the lust Imperial Comeronce, and it was then announced that the final settlement on contributions could not- be made until alter the Washington Conference. Lord Lee oi Faroha-m was* not present when those discussions took place, and his speech as cabled (which started the present discussion) would appear to indicate that he was unaware of the full effect of the proceedings. When the first cabled report appeared Mr Massey was reluctant to express an opinion, rn view of the possibility of Lord Lee s remarks having been made to bear a different comploxion to that intended owing to condensation ior cable purposes. In view of subsequent discussion, however, Mr Massey thought it wise to issue a statement making the position clear and giving the fullest information that could be given without breach of confidence. The Prime Minister’s statement is as follows: “The resolution of the Conference has already been made public, in which it was stated plainly hat the matter was held over until after the Washington Conference, which, by the way, has not lessened the responsibility of the British Empire, except insofar as an understanding has been arrived at in respect to the Pacific. The territories of the Empire cannot* bo properly protected without sufficient seorpewer, and though the number of capital ships which each Naval Power may be possessed of is limited, there is no limit to vessels of the cruiser class below a certain tonnage. My opinion is that what each Dominion will contribute can. only be settled at an Empire Conference, and then subject to ratification by each of the Parliaments concerned. 1 have stated definitely that New Zealand will do its full share, and I am quite confident Parliament will shoulder its responsibility, but while this should be done as soon as possible, we must have an opportunity to readjust our finances, and recover to a certain extent from the effects of the Great War in which we played no unimportant part.”