A SECOND CRUISER

Southland Times, Issue 19394, 7 November 1924, Page 5

A SECOND CRUISER

DOMINION’S NAVAL NEEDS FINANCIAL PROVISION MADE GOVERNMENT’S DECISION. (Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, November 6. This year the Appropriation Bill contains a clause authorising the Minister of Finance to pay the Imperial Government a sum of not more than £lOO,OOO towards the provision and maintenance of a second cruiser, to be added to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, and the clause is to remain in force until March 31, 1926, this being an indication that business is expected to be well under way by that date. DOMINION’S OBLIGATIONS. Explaining the vote this afternoon the Prime Minister said that last year £lOO,OOO had been placed on the Estimates for the purpose of the Singapore Base. He did not need to recall what had happened over that project: probably it would be gone on with again, at least he hoped it would, but this vote had nothing to do with it. The Government had been advised by the Admiraltry that New Zealand should be responsible for a second light cruiser. The same course would be followed as with the Chatham, and latterly the Dunedin. The British Government would find the cruiser, and New Zealand would maintain it. In doing that they were doing no more than their share for the defence of the Empire, There was much more that might be done, but this was enough in the meantime. The Admiralty had stated that two cruisers could be more satisfactorily managed than one, and the vote of £lOO,OOO would allow negotiations to proceed. Asked whether the new cruiser would be stationed in New Zealand, Mr Massey said its headquarters would be here. The responsibilities of the Dominion had increased very much in the past two or three years, and they now went practically from the Equator to the South Pole. They included Samoa, the Cook Islands, and several British Islands scattered over the Pacific. Just recently the British Government had asked New Zealand to take over the Union Islands, which were closely adjacent to Samoa, and then there were the whale fisheries of Ross Dependency, which the Dominion was supposed to control, and would have to look after in the future. He merely mentioned these things to show that there was work here for two cruisers in looking after British and New Zealand interests. DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSAL.

Mr T. M. Wilford said that the Liberal Party favoured a contribution towards a second cruiser if that was the best measure to secure our defence. The Singapore Base was essential to the country’s safety as the Japanese were steadily moving their base down towards Australia and New Zealand.

Mr P. Fraser (Wellington Central), said there undoubtedly was an Eastern problem to be faced, but it was unwise to indulge in extremes. He favoured settlement along the lines of good-will whenever possible. Mr H. E. Holland regretted the provision made for a second cruiser. Mr Wilford’s speech was deplorable. He said that 25 years ago exactly the same things were being said about Japan and it was a mistaken policy to stir up the spirit of suspicion towards people who aided us in the war. He would prefer to see the money for the second cruiser devoted to pensions. Mr Massey, in reply, said they could not forget the services of Japan during the war, but all the same they must do their share towards the defence of the Empire. They could not forget the losses made in the early stages of the war because the trade routes had not been protected. War would come whether they liked it or not, and he did not think the moral gesture of Ramsay MacDonald’s could keep it away.