Defending the Pacific.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 49, 19 June 1914, Page 5

Defending the Pacific.

> UNION OF DOMINIONS. DEFENCE MINISTER SPEAKS. [Pee F&EBS Association.] Blenheim, June 18. Hon. Jas. Allen, Minister of Defence, in the course of an address to a large audience in the Town Hall to-night, touched on the question of defence. He said that General Sir lan Hamilton's report was ready, and he hoped to hand copies to the Press land members of Parliament on Monjday. It was a very outspoken criticism of what the Genera had seem in Xew Zealand, and he Mas sure the people would be pleased with it. Touching on naval defence, Mr Allen declared that Sir Joseph Ward at the London Conference had proposed to tax every man, woman and child in the Dominion 10s per head for naval defence. He also proposed to borrow millions and millions to keep a fleet of Dreadnoughts in the Pacific. What did they think of that for naval expenditure?

OUR NAVAL ADVISER.

A DISTORTED INTERVIEW.

'BY EmOTBIO TeiiKGEAPH— COPYBIGHTJ [United Pkebs Association.] Sydney, June 18.

Captain Hall-Thompson, naval adviser to the New -Zealand Government, has reached Sydney. He denies the statements contained in the Fremantle interview. He declared that in some way the interview had been distorted. It possessed an element of truth, "but I can truthfully say that I never said the word 'chaotic,' nor did I in any way presume to criticise the New Zealand defence policy," he added, as he had never seen either New Zealand nor any of its Ministers. It was impossible in such circumstances that he should take up the role of critic at such short notice. He departs for New Zealand on Saturday. A Fremantle cablegram on June 9 reported Captain Hall-Thomson as having said; with regard to his duties in New Zealand, that "affairs seemed to be a trifle chaotic. He understood that New Zealand wanted to adopt a naval system something different to that prevailing at present." '., |

AUCKLAND'S MAYOR'S VIEWS.

Sydney, June 18

Mr Parr, Mayor of Auckland, in an interview, said he was confident that a great majority of the people of New Zealand were dead against sending money Home merely to strengthen the North Sea fleet. "If we send a quarter of a million, it just means that Mr Lloyd-Ceorge would reduce his own estimates by that' amount, and we would be no better off in the Pacific. The solution of the problem is the union of Australia, New Zealand and Canada for naval defence."