SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8799, 29 April 1907, Page 3

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Speech on Defence

(Per Press Association.' WEtiiNQTOir, April 27. The following Ims been supplied to the Press Association by Government:-- , , In the cour ;e of a speech at the Eoyal Colonial Institute dinner Sir J. Ward said the deliberations on ■ defence matters at the Conference wore most ■ important and the prospect of a workable scheme i w the iiterchange of Imperial British officers for educational purposes would prove valuable. Ho strongly favoured the British Navy being under the entire control of the Admiralty In London. New Zealand preferred to support the British navy by way of subsidy and if necessary j by an increased subsidy. He thought, it quite possible that ships in New | Zeaalnd waters could be manned eu- ! tirely by New Zealand crews and so j avoid two sets of wages being paid i to British and Colonial crews. Thus j a source of irritation and friction ' would be; removed. New Zealand j w.iuld not object to the subsidy being d' voted entirely to. providing crews I if t!iu Admiralty so desired. Ho j srrfvgjy favoured an active policy to bring ; tho navy at Homo and j ab>oad to the highest point of j ■rir’agth and perfection in times of p •■ce, so as to be fully equipped in ! a»V unexpected emergency. At the Colonial Conference he was glad to hoar the views of Lord Tweedmoutu on docks snid coaling stations, blow Zealand in that respect would not be behind'and with the co-operation of Home authorities excellent lacmtiso for both these matters could ho provided] Already the Calliope dock at Auckland was available for ships of war and if the Admiralty desired to have further docks in the, future f >r strategic use ho suggested the desirability offstatiug what the length and size of ships in future in New Zealand waters would be and that harbour authorities who control the docks should have this information famished them. He had no doubt that if circumstances required they would co-operate with the Admiralty in making provision tor a supply of coal. Coal of the finest quality in the world was available'at the mines of Greymonth and Westport. The country bad recognised the importance of coal development and had become responsible for about £400,000 for the development of these ports and extension and expansion would bo provided for. It was entirely a matter of money to make provision for any warships to coal at these harbours aud ho would bo glad to confer with the First Lord of the Admiralty upon this or any other matter calculated to improve the position of ships patrolling New Zealand seas. Ho recognised that_ the maritime struggle for Empire if one occurred would be most likely near England aud victory wherever it took place was of vital importance to all parts of the Empire. He thought they ought to help as far as possible to strengthen outlying portions of the great Empire. New Zealand was not prepared to enter upon a policy of building battleships or sailing its own navy. It had to be remembered the colony was young and that still a great internal development policy was necessary for years to come for -providing not , alone for people at present in New i Zealand but for a large increase in population as years went on. Settlement and development of the ; country was as important to’Englaud ; as to New Zealand and even if ho i favoured such policy, which ha did not, there was a limit to the powers of a country like New Zealand which j is incurring heavy financial responsibilities with limited means. They j would do their part but for some ( years to come that must be in the - direction of helping and supporting the British Lion instead of adopting s any ambitious local navy scheme. ( Australia was entitled to give effect to such policy as they considered ] best aud his friend Mr Deakiu f would have his support iu what j they desired to do although he could t not see his way to make it apply to z Now Zealand. In reference to the e army proposals Sir J. Ward con- - sidered that uniformity of system, guns and munitions of war was most desirable so that the same weapons i and ammunition could be made use ] of iu times of action. Ho expressed 3 approval of the work so far done at ( the Conference though important matters had still to be dealt with. Ho urged in addition on his side that < efforts should be made in practical directions to bring the Motherland and her sons beyond the seas closer together. He suggested the importance of Australia and New Zealand having some say in the Board of c Control of the Suez Canal. There *■ was a growing and increasing trade through it from both countries, it was part of the world’s highway and those portions of the Empire which used it should have some say m the management aud control. He did c not ask for nominal repreesentation >- but tiiey should be allowed to pur- t chase a portion of Suez shares to en- t title them to representation on the Board of Control. He urged that Britain, Canada, Australia aud New Zealand should set earnestly to work to provide faster steamers across the Atlantic and Pacific in order to j bring Australia and New Zealand to j within twenty days of London. This j was quit© possible \ four clfiys to Canada, four days across the continent and 13 days across the Pacific to New Zealand provided they went o for steamers of modern size and build them of the speed capable of ( \ being performed. One of the greatest troubles of thercolonies was the distance from the Old Laud. If nt were possible tlrat both euc.s of the world bad an opportunity of doing the journey in three weeks thousands would travel where hundreds do so now. The benefits that would ensue from the knowledge of the - country that must follow the wants j of our respective peoples would he invaluable. Then again to bring us closer together w r e want cheaper cable communication. He declared his belief that it would pay Eng- , land, India, Canada, South Africa, 1 Australia and New Zealand even if they could not own all the cables be- ' tween their respective countries to have rates reduced to Is, or even Gd, a word and to guarantee the present returns that were accruing from the _ business passing over the lines. He included the Pacific Cable in any suggested guarantee aud his opinion ( was that though a loss at first would 1 occur the reduced rates would mean such enormous increase of traffic that . the "uarantee of the Motherland and other portions of Empire to winch i he referred would soon ho a nominal • one Thov could not got such enor- , mons advantages over a world-wide empire without some sacrifice and ne believed that with power and pres : tige the course suggested would involve comparatively little sacrifice. Speaking on emigration to New Zealand at the Conference Sir Joseph Ward said that to entertain indiscriminate emirgation would not be approved iu New Zealand and though he. was a believer in helping to obtain a steady increase of population from Great Britain they had to he careful to guard against unsuitable people being sent to the country. It was as much in the interests of Great Britain to retain the best class of her people as to send them abroad and upon the assumption that they desired to send a class the mainritv of whom were not best suited to remain in England ho could not agree to any selection of P<-‘opN for New’ Zealand excepting under the responsible supervision and control of the High Commissioner and his Iff that was Now Zealand’s best way to proceed. New Zealand was glad to receive people from Britain if of suitable class and if thev had some capital. In two yews 6600 people had revived passages at reduced rates and had taken (nnital into New Zealand amounting t0 1 £276,000 and they had in addition, without assistance, also arawn upwards of 50,000 to tho colouy from British possessions. He did not ad vo-ate any indiscriminate sending out of unskilled labour who had neither means nor vocation and who wonlfmerely flood the labonr market. There was an opening for far mors and others with capital also for domestic servants and it Hie system of control and supervision rmw carried out as well as the practico of nominated passages which had been iu operation for some years, he thought they could meet the reasonable reqmremeeuts of the colony He preferred that the ex-mu-ion of the colony should gp on on steady lines, without upheavals or possibility of turning back.