STRONGER NAVY SOUGHT

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12252, 25 September 1925, Page 7

STRONGER NAVY SOUGHT

PROTECTION FROM SEA ATTACK THIRD CRUISER FOR NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER SAYS “GO STEADY” The comparative weakness of the British Navy with those of U.S.A. and Japan, was stressed by a deputation representative .of the New Zealand Branch of the Navy League, which waited on the Prime Minister (Hon. .). G. Coates) yesterday in this connection.

Mr J. J. Dougall (president of the Canterbury branch) said that the League' was strongly of opinion that sea training was quite as essential to the youth of the country ,as military (land) training. The grounds for the representation were contained in a long letter from tho Auckland branch of the League, which quoted the relative strength of the naval forces of Britain, America, and Japan m regard to light cruisers. The contribution per head for naval defence was 255, whereas in New Zealand it. was 8s per head. The Navy League hoped that next year the Governmept would provide a substantially larger sum for naval defence; and the Navy Leagie urged the Government to provide for a third cruiser ,in New Zealand waters.

Mr R. Darroch (secretary Navy League Conference) said that the Navy League was pleased that the Government had purchased a site for an air station at Auckland, and hoped that the provision of aircraft for naval requirements would not be lost sight of. Aircraft was essential for defence of tho navai port and also for co-opera-tion with the naval forces. “OUR JOB” “I concur,” said the Prime Minister in reply, “that it ?s our pob, as well as England’s job, to do all we' can to keep the renewal of cruisers up to date and efficient. In that I go. all the way with you. And if it becomes necessary, there is no doubt the Government will in reason contribute apcording to the capacity of the Dominion

“Our Navy costs us somewhere in the vicinity of half a million a year ; and there would be another £IOO,OOO next year—making roughly speaking, £600,000 a year. - That provided sufficient to absorb all the applicants for r,raining for the Navy. That is as much as New Zealand can provide in personnel up to the time the Diomedes arrived here. So that from that point of view we have really immediately supplied the want. “The next point is: how much our contribution should he toward the Navy; whether we should increase it by adding another light cruiser—importing the personnel, and keeping that cruiser in New Zealand waters; whether we should do that or make a contribution equivalent to the maintenance of another cruiser, to he maintained in other waters, wherever thatmay be.”

“BETTER TO GO STEADY” The Prime Minister said the Navy League wanted the £600,000 on the Estimates to keep our New Zealand unit going. In addition to that, there was the question of bringing our New Zealand air service up to date. Mr Coatee then alluded to the difference of opinion on the question of control of the air service; and added that the main thing was to organise it and put it under some definite control. Our contribution of naval defence, explained the Prime Minister, was slightly over 8s per head, and another £IOO,OOO would make it slightly over 9s per head of the population. “Personally,” added Mr. Coates, “I think that in this stage of our hjstory, and probably of the world’s history, steady development would be better than rushing, because of the constant changes that are taking place.”