IMPERIAL NAYAL DEFENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 17244, 15 January 1913, Page 4

IMPERIAL NAYAL DEFENCE.

The Government has kept its proposals with regard to naval defence a close secret. It is understood that before the Hon. James Allen left for London the naval defence policy of the Government was made the subject of Cabinet discussion, and that the general outline of the Government’s proposals was agreed upon. The policy was not fully formulated, however, for the very good reason that Mr Allen’s consultation with the Admiralty authorities might make certain modifications desirable. Consequently, nothing was disclosed with reference to the Government’s discussion of the subject, and since that time Mr Massey has made no reference to the question. On Monday, however, a London cable was published reporting the statement of the Manchester Guardian that the New Zealand Prime Minister is in communication with the Admiralty, and that an important change in naval policy will shortly be announced, enabling a scheme of co-operative defence in the Pacific to be brought into operation sooner than was expected, This cable was followed yesterday by one from Sydney in which Mr Fisher, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, intimated that a joint subsidiary naval conference has been arranged, at which Canada, New Zealand and Australia will be represented, for the purpose of discussing the defence of the Northern and Southern Pacific. Clearly the movement towards co-operation is gathering pace, and New Zealand is being forced by her geographical position into action. When the representatives of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand meet, they will find that each of them holds a somewhat different position. The Australian representative will stand for a colonial navy locally owned, locally manned, and largely locally built. The Canadian representative will stand for a Pacific squadron presented by Canada to the Empire and controlled by the Admiralty. The Neiv Zealand representative will stand for an annual contribution to the Imperial Exchequer, in virtue of which the British Government has undertaken to ipaintain a force of cruisers of the River type, destroyers, and submarines, In our waters. The problem of co-ordinating these different systems is one of extreme complexity, but it is quite clear to all who have given some study to the map of the world that co-operation between the dominions whose interests lie in the Pacific is necessary to safety, and this conference will be the first step towards co-operation.

“Look here,” said a business man, wh® drives a motor car, to a Southland Times reporter yesterday, "you newspaper people are taking hold of this street traffic question the wrong way. It is quite likely that the electric trams occasionally travel 100 fast across the intersections of streets, and no doubt motor cars and motqr bicycles are also driven too fast, but excessive speed is not the chief cause of accidents, and accidents will not be prevented simply by reducing speed. The first necessity is to regulate traffic. In Dee street, for instance, every vehicle which is going north should be compelled to keep the west side of the road. Every vehicle which is japing south should he compelled to keep the'east side. I would say that every driver of a vehicle who passes two of the tramway poles on his wrong side should be prosecuted and fined. Similarly In Tay street the traffic should b® divided into two streams each on its own side of the tramway polos, and in th® streets wit ere there are no poles th* rule of the road should also be enforced. Stand any day at ti:e Bank of New South Wales corner and observe the vehicle* passing from Tay street into Dee street, or vice versa, and you will find that 35 out of 50 are on their wrong sdie. A* long as vehicles keep to their right side of the road there is generally time to avert accidents. It is when vehicles ara on the wrong side of the road that accidents happen, and the reason is that tha drivers of vehicles are taken by surprise and the mischief is done before they realise where they are. You may do soma good by obtaining more moderate speed, but depend upon it Invercargill will have exactly the same experience aa other towns, and so long as vehicles ara permitted to use the roads promiscuously accidents will happen. 1 ’ With regard to the dry rot in tha Government Buildings a Southland Times reporter had a chat yesterday with Mr W. Andrews of the firm of Shields and Andrews, the contractors for the erection of the buildings. Mr Andrews at once exploded the idea that the dry rot was caused or assisted by the flooring boards having been put down wet. His position as contractor enabled him to say at once that the timber used for the floors was dry, but in any case be pointed out that had the flooring boards been wet the fact would disclose Itself In opened seams caused by/-the contraction which occurs as timber dries. As there has been no shrinkage the theory of wet timber fails to hold water. In reply to questions, MP Andrews said that when the heating system was Installed he pointed out that a necessary part of it was a satisfactory scheme of ventilation, and that to us® radiators without ventilation was to court trouble. Mr Andrews said that tha heating arrangements were condemned at the time by a competent expert, that h!s firm reported to the Department on tha matter, and offered to provide proper ventilation for the buildings at a cost of slightly more than £IOOO. The offer was rejected, however, and Mr Andrews said lie was not at ail surprised that this trouble had arisen. The effect of using the heating system without ventilation was to cause a condensation of vapour on the walls. Naturally, the moisture trickled down to the floors, and Mr Andrews is convinced that this was the cause of the dry rot. In Mr Andrews’ opinion it will be necessary not only to make the repairs which are now in hand, but also to provide suitable ventilation on the lines suggested by bis firm at the time. The voyage of the steamer Rotenfels, which arrived at Auckland on Thursday from Xew York, via .Australian ports, was not without incident. When between .Xew York and Capetown a bell buoy, was encountered, and the vessels course had to be altered to avoid running into it. A hell buoy was lost from the American coast in the vicinity of the Gulf Stream, and if tills were the one seen by the Rotenfels it must have travelled some thousands of miles. When near the South African coast the Rotenfels also passed a quantity of spars, sails, and wreckage, which had apparently belonged to a vessel burned at sea.. Xo signs of any survivors were seen, though a careful look-out wa« kept. One of the Red Cross surgeons at tha war had an opportunity of observing 670 cases of severe wounds In Servian soldiers, and expresses his surprise at the rapidity of healing and tire aseptic condition of even the most dangerous injuries. Men shot through the body by bullets which penetrated the liver, the lung, the spleen, and the intestines, recovered after a fortnight or so without much evidence of ultimate harm, Tha modern bullet is rendered aseptic by th* enormous beat of th® burning powder. .