FUTURE NAVAL POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18141, 12 January 1921, Page 5

FUTURE NAVAL POLICY

QUESTION OF DOMINION CONTRIBUTIONS. * DEFENCE OF THE PACIFIC. 'Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 10. The naval authorities and the Admiralty explain the reason why Australasia was not represented on the committee which is examining the future question of naval construction, is that Australasia is not contributing to the cost of the Britisn fleet, but the committee’s findings, and the full evidence will be available for the dominion Governments as soon as possible. When asked whether the Admiralty’s view with regard to contributions took into account the cost of the Australian and New Zealand navies, the authorities replied that a scheme would be brought before the Imperial Conference in June, providing that the dominions contribute a larger share of the cost of Empire defence; bit this will hot entail any alteration of the existing policies of local navies. The Admiralty is not at present disposed to view battleships as finished, and the conference thus may decide on the transference of British squadrons to the Pacific. If so, they will probably be based on the most suitable strategical harbours.—A. and N.Z. Cable.