A NATIONAL DUTY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11839, 20 April 1909, Page 5

A NATIONAL DUTY.

■"ASi-".- Jose'iih :Coi'rutlier.3, ex-Premier of New South ' Wales, speaking in ref^renc? to tlie 'Dreadnought question, said: — .' 'l, do 'sincerely believe that if Australia, Canada,: 'arid. South Africa were to follow the noble, lead of "New Zealand we rihall- avert the disaster of a ' GernianBritisli A^jar. Of course if ,we do. so avert; it, critics -vyill' ari 'e in the future arid ; s^y that pur action was unnecessary and uncalled fori 'pne can afford, tp risk criticism of that character; rather than to liave to face the dire results of inaction.'.-' My reason for believing that we may b, el p to avert war is that once Gerbiany sees: that she has to face not only a naval programme of Dreadnought building on the part of. England, but also subsidiary .Dreadnought programmes of : Australia;- Canada, Netfr Zealand, arid South AfficaA the , sooner Germany will cease to keep up a rivalry in navy building arid come to somo reason with. ,a great Empire Y Let us uoe tha occasion to make "■ known to the world thAt our I'jnpire is . not marely one nation and many dependencies, but is really one mother nation . with offspring not ionp that are strong ;in, resource, as /well T as resolve, and -that he who lavs handa on one -will find many -hands laid on hirii in return. I rfemamber once chatting With my old chief, Sir ! Henry ; Parka*-, over twerity years ago.-when war clouds wVre dark over the Easfy and England was on , the verge of being involved hi a Eitroponri war. Sir periry showed to trie a fine poem just sent to him by the British * Consul, in Mauritius^ -. and he warmly quoted/ those two lines;— - ,

Shake off the mocking allies, at thy. gato, Gather up thy wandering brobd.

Said he, 'Those two lines, seem to riie to '.be. the inspiration that is" to make for our .Empire's safety in the future, England ea n n^ver be safe . f rorri tho strength of any alliance, but she can bo secured,, iri invincibility once, her : Colonies unite- with , her in upholding her supremacy, Yand the ' integrity of the Empire.' The time is fast arriving for the wandoiring, brooc! to gather /round the mother, and show /that it hm? reached lli"! stage when it must be T'c-ckdned with in a auaruel."