THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NAVY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 28

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NAVY.

MR MYERS’S SUPPORT. (Faou Qua Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 1. The no-confidence debate this afternoon lacked interest till Mr Myers, fresh from contact with the best thought in the Motherland, gave his views on the naval question. At tho outset Mr Myers paid a sincere and graceful compliment to the Hon. Mr Allen for the non-party attitude he had always taken in matters of defence, even when be was in Opposition. Mr Myers went on in a manner that could not have been very pleasing to Sir Joseph Ward and his followers. He said that in view of tho fact that the. Home Government had not carried out the original agreement they were now quite justified' in reconsidering the whole situation. There was justification for reviewing the whole position in view of ite serious importance. —(Government supporters: “Hear, hear.”) Mr Myers went on to talk of the necessity of a continuity of policy, and added that, in view of our restrictions upon the Asiatic race and our present dependence for our safety on a treaty with Japan, surely we were justified in considering what was the best line of policy to pursue in tho future. He believed the Government was justified in putting on the Statute Book the Act it did last session. His only regret was that, apparently, there had been some vacillation on the part of the Government. He would, without any hesitation, stand alone with the Prime Minister to defend the former statement which apparently now ho hesitated to champion. The personnel contribution at the present time was the most valuable contribution we could offer. He believed New Zealand would be on sound ground in providing the nucleus of a local nary, and ho would heartily support it. Wo should have a email flotilla here. We had reached a crisis in our history when it was of the utmost importance that everything possible should be done to ensure tho strength and unity of tho Empire, and this was only possible by the pursuance of a strong and vigorous defence policy.