NAVAL DEFENCE BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14703, 10 December 1909, Page 6

NAVAL DEFENCE BILL

(Per United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, December 9.

In the House of Representatives, after 2 o'clock this morning, Sir J. 0. Ward, speaking oii the second reading of the Naval Defence Bill, said the Admiralty had approved of the course which the Government had taken in regard to naval defence. A fleet unit would cost £600,000 a year, yet in time of war the Dominion would have to fall back on the British navy. The bill was read a second time, and the House rose at 2.30 a.m. NEW ZEALAND'S DOCKS. QUESTION OF ENLARGEMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 9. The discussion of the Naval Defence Bill ill committee was taken this afternoon. Mr James Allen asked what arrangements the Prime Minister was making in regard to docks. He understood that tho Calliope Dock at Auckland could be lengthened for no very heavy expenditure so as to lake an Indomitable. The dock was wide enough already. Ho wished to know whether any negotiations had been going on with regard to the lengthening of this dock. He had previously urged tho Prime Minister to approach the Wellington Harbour Board. It was necessary to provide accommodation in tho new Wellington dock not only lor an Indomitable, but for a. Drea-dnought. He wished to know aiso whether the Government proposed to make ajiy provision or whether the Admiralty would do so in regard to repairing works, A great deal of machinery and equipment had been provided at tho.Calliope Dock that would be very serviceable to his Majesty's vessels. Was the Prime Minister going to do anything in regard to the manufacture of ammunition? Some provision should be made by New Zealand, possibly in combination with Australia, for the manufacture of small arms and ammunition for field guns and coastal defence. Mr Luke said he thought that the Calliope Dock would need to bo remodelled altogether to accommodate a Dreadnought. Tho Wellington dock would be a vory fine and up-to-date structure, and it was highly desirable that the Prime Minister should get into communication with the Wellington Harbour Board, and that provision should be made, possibly with assistance from tho Consolidated Fund, so that the dock should be able to accommodate a Dreadnought.

Mr Poole admitted that owing to the new designs of vessels the Calliope Dock had beconme a little out of date. It would take in fair-sized cruisers, but further expenditure would be required on it before it would take in a Dreadnought. He hoped that representations would bo made to the authorities in the matter.

Mr Baume said the Auckland Harbour Board had considered the question of increasing the accommodation of the Calliope Dock to provide for a Dreadnought, Auckland was regarded, from its position, as a very suitable place for a naval base, and it would be a good thing for New Zeailawd if tho Government could assist •the Auckland Harbour Board to put such' works in hand as would provide sufficient accommodation for this type of ship. He asked if the Prime Minister had considered tho matter of establishing naval Volunteers.

Mr Phillipps said he thought that all the docking facilities needed . could be provided at Auckland. He endorsed the proposal to form, naval Volunteers.

Mt Massey said that the Auckland Harbour Hoard looked forward to so altering the Calliope Dock as to provide accommodation for armoured cruisers of the Indomitable class. It had recently decided to have estimates prepared of the cost of such alterations. He pointed out that while our Indomitable was on the China, station there was plenty of dockinj accommodation there. The Imperial Government had an interest already in the Calliope Dock. Mr Malcolm asked if it had been found possible to do anything with the defence of our coal supplies. A warship could lie off Greymouth and destroy the wharfing accommodation to prevent New Zealand ships getting coal.

Mi 1 J. Dimcan strongly urged the claims of Picton as a naval base. It had a channel of sufficient depth for the entrance of the largest man-of-war, whereas at the entrance of Auckland Harbour there was only a depth of five fathoms and a-half. Mr Poole said there was sufficient water at Auckland. A little reciprocity was wanted in connestion with the Dreadnought gift, and it would be to the interest of the Dominion to develop a scheme for the naval training of its young men. If the naval authorities gave Zealand several of their obsolete vessels they could bo moored in the principal harbours and used as training ships.

Mr Glover said there was no doubt that the Minister of Defence, in selecting Auckland as the naval base, had chosen the right place.

Sir Joseph Ward said that the question of the docks had not been overlooked, and he had made representations concerning it on the last two occasions on which he had visited England. When lie was Home last he had communicated confidentially on the subject, at the request of the Admiralty, with the chairmen of the Auckland and Wellington Harbour Boards. As Auckland had been selected as the naval base, that was the place where, in his opinion, provision should be made for docking facilities. The responsibility for providing suitable docks did not lie with the Government of New Zealand, but between the Admiralty and the Harbour Board concerned, whether at Auckland or Wellington. If New Zealand had gone in for a unit for itself it would, of course, have had to undertake this responsibility. There was no question that the constantly-increasing length of vessels would necessitate longer docks in all parts of the Empire. In regard to repairing yards, also, the Government had no financial responsibility, although it was willing to offer all possible facilities. The. questions of guns, naval Volunters, and ammunition were dealt with in the Internal Defence Bill. The matter of protecting the coal ports had likewise been borne in mind, and Admiral Sir Wilmot Fawkes had been requested to make a special report upon it. The authorities at Home did not anticipate the possibility of the invasion of New Zealand by a hostile feet. All that,was considered .possible was a small raid. He had obtained an assurance from the Admiralty that in the event of a good supply of petroleum being obtained here the Admiralty would take a great deal of its supplies from Now Zealand. As lo training ships, the Government had negotiated in regard to another vessel coming one, but it would be a mistake to fake some of the vessels referred to by Mr Poole.

Mr Massey said that a resident of Auckland who took a great interest in defence matters had risked him to draw attention to the ease with which Raneitoto Island could he fortified. This gentleman said that at a comparatively small cost the port and harbour of Auckland could be made ahsolutclv impregnable. He understood that the' American Government was fortifying an island at Honolulu that was similar to Bangitoto. Sir J. G. Ward said that ho would be glad, to make represent.-.)ions to the' Admiralty in the matter. Mr T. E. Taylor urged that sea life should be made more attractive, so that New Zealanders should no longer leave it as soon as they had served their term. Mr Buchanan urged that if it was not too late, the design of the Wellington dock should be altered so that it would take in the largest battleship likely to visit New Zealand. Mr Wright asked if the Prime Minister knew if a stray cruiser could shell Wellington from a posation off Island Bay? If that could be done, tlio harbour defences would r«i he of much value. The Prime Minister said it was recog. niscd that it mold be done, and probably Auckland ami Duncdin could be shelled in the same way, He was instituting inquiries into the reason why >Tcw Zealanders left the navy when their service ex&ired. He believed that one reason

was that when they drew their accumulated increase of p/iy, representing the difference between British and New Zealand rates, they found better inducements in a life on shore. Mr Allen urged thai ii the £250,000 which would now form New Zealand's contribution to the navy were spent on docking accommodation, repairing works, coastal defence and the protection of our own sea routes, it would be of far more value to Great Britain. (Per f sited Phess Association-) WELLINGTON, December 9. On the motion of Mr Hemes a new sub-clause was added lo clause 7, dealing with tho sinking fund as follows: —" An annual statement of the securities in which such sinking fund is invested shall be laid before Parliament within 14 duvs of the commencement of each session." ' The bill was then reported with amendments. On the motion for the third reading Mr J. C. Thomson, in a lengthy speech, denounced the attempt to form the nucleus of a navy in the Dominion and the fo.steri;ig of militarism and local nationalism, which were contrary to the best interests of the Dominion. The debate was continued by Messrs Fraser, Craigie,' Wright, Poole," Rus-ell, Allen, and Baume. Sir J. G. Ward replied, and dealt with various points raised by the speakers, conlending that the Government's action in offering a Dreadnought was justified, and drawing a comparison between that action and Disraeli's purchase of the Suez Cnnal shares without consulting Parliament. 7fad the Government telegraphed to members of Parliament they would probably have declined the responsibility of agreeing to the offer, and would have asked that Parliament be called together. The result would have been that Parliament would have been discussing the matter for months before arriving at a decision, and if the offer had eventually been made it would have gone Home at a time when its moral effect would have been lost. The bill was then read a third time.