Second Edition. THE WAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 60, 6 November 1914, Page 6

Second Edition. THE WAR.

On the Sea MR MASSEY’S SECRET. “THANK COD FOR THE AUSTRALIAN NAVY!” £Phb Pbesb Association.] Wellington, November 5. The general public, according to a

statement made in the House of Ilepv resentatives yesterday by the Prime Minister, has been blissfully ignorant of the dangerous proximity to the shores of New Zealand of the German cruisers, which have become notorious in the Pacific, at one stage of the crisis. The subject cropped up over the Defence Amendment Bill, which aims at extending the Government’s contract with the Colonial Ammunitions Company for the supply of ammunition.

In the course of his reply, the Minister for Defence (Hon. James Allen) said that the Dominion owed a very great debt of gratitude to the Australian Government for the assistance given by the Commonwealth navy to the Dominion, whose safety had depended upon that navy, and without it the invasion ol v Samoa would have been impossible. •

Mr L. M. Isitt: Isn’t this going a bit too far on the navy question?” •

Sir Joseph Ward: “A point of order. JMr Speaker, is this a reply to previous statements, or a new speech?” Mr Speaker said that the hon. member for Christchurch North had ( referred to the “local navy” question, and the Minister was entitled to reply. Sir Joseph Ward: “It is only electioneering. I shall have to speak at length on the matter when the Appropriation Bill comes up.” Allen: “I shall he pleased to debatp thy question at any time.” Mr Isitt: “We are ready for yon.”'

Mr Allen: “I am willing to debate the matter on the public platform.”

SIR JOSEPH WARD,

Later on, when the first reading of the Expeditionary Forces Voting Bill (No. 2) was moved, Sir Joseph Ward said that quite irrespective of the question whether the naval policy of Australia was right or not, he acknowledged the invaluable work which had been done by the Commonwealth with its navy during the crisis which had arisen. When the history of what had been done by British, French and Japanese warships could be disclosed, the people would realise their great value. He held a strong opinion that a local navy of this country would be a very undesirable'thing. At the proper time he would be prepared to discuss the whole question. He did not want to introduce anything in the shape of controversial discussion about the expeditionary force and he was sorry that that aspect of the question had been raised. > y

“PEOPLE WOULD THANK GOD.”

The Right Hon. W. F. Massey quite agreed with the leader of the Opposition that the time was not opportune to discuss such a matter. He endorsed the view that our people had not yet had an opportunity of appreciating the valuable work done by the Australian navy. If the people know the inner history of the last few months’ events they would thank God that there had been an Australian navy in the present crisis. He could not go into details, but he knew that if it had not been for the Australian navy our fortified towns might have been smashed up and destroyed.

Sir Joseph Ward: That would not say much for the foresight of the British Admiralty.

Mr Massey continued that he was raising no “bogey,” but two of the most powerful cruisers of the German navy were on one occasion within three days’ sail of New Zealand. He only wished he could tell what had taken place. One thing that would have to he done next session was to pass a resolution, thanking the people of Australia for the protection which had been afforded.

Mr T. H. Qavey (Christchurch East): There is no division of opinion on that matter. I

Mr Massey said be would leave the matter at that. He had no desire to make any party capital out of the naval policy, and he sincerely hoped anything of the sort would be avoided.

THE MOTHERLAND’S PROTEC TION.

Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) contended that if the necessity had arisen the British Navy would have been here to protect our shores.. While the Australian Navy had done good work, the fact could not be lost sight of that Great Britain would never allow the colonies to suffer. British ships would •certainly have been here if the former Government had remained in power. Mr W. Nosworthy (Ashburton): Now you will stir it up properly.

The Hon. James Allen said he had not brought up this matter, but he felt it his bounden duty to say something. He knew what the feeling of the Australians was about this matter, and he knew that they had been bitterly disappointed that their ideals—and he believed the ideals of the Imperial Navy—had not been carried out because of the necessity imposed on them to do work appertaining to the Imperial Navy. The story would be told some day. He could not tell it now. His (Mr Allen’s) own impression was that New Zealand would not have had the defence it got had it not been for the creation of the Commonwealth Navy. ,

Mr Nosworthy: You are quite right

THE 1909 AGREEMENT. Mr Allen went on to say that the breach of the agreement in 1909 was a •/great mistake. Unquestionably what had been taking place during the last j two or three months had opened the eyes of a good many people. His eyes were opened before. He had always said it was our bounden duty to hold out the hand of friendship to our brothers on the other side of the Tasman Sea. He was sorry to say it had not always been the custom of New Zealand t« do so. He was perfectly certain the only sound policy for Australia and New Zealand was to work together for the creation of such a navy as would be equal to protecting all trade routes and the, Overseas Dominions against all enemies,'' AUSTRALIAN COMMENT. United Press Association. • (Received ,11.15 a.m.) Sydney, November 6 The Telegraph, commenting on Mr Massey’s thanks for the protection of the Australian Navy, says: It may occur to the people of New Zealand that this exemplifies the value to them of regular navy co-operation with Australia. New Zealand cannot hope effectively to protect itself on the sea for many years, whereas combining with Australia will ensure almost at once the handy presence of a strong navy. The Herald, in a leader, expresses appreciation of Mr Massey’s thanks and refers- to the envied position of the battleship New Zealand in defending the heart of the Empire. If the Australian navy had remained as in the subsidy era there would have been no expedition to New Guinea or Samoa. Trade did not enjoy freedom, and the possessions in Noumea did not receive assurance of safety from the visit of cruisers of war. Whatever question it leaves unanswered it has defined the future relations between Australia and'New Zealand, and has settled thy doubts in the minds of Australians that it is the right naval policy for them. PqopJe who shared in the'same enterprises and the same dangers need noth- ( ing more to bind them together than J such a frank recognition of services freely rendered as is contained in Mr, ( Massey’s" speech. A nation which knows of the presence within striking ( distance >of the coast of enemy' ships | powerful enough to bombard towns and destroy commerce needs no other proof of the value of a local navy. The value of a battleship of the Australia class in these waters is in effect ten times greater than it would have been in the North Sea.

GERMAN CRUISER MINED NEAR WILHELMSHAVEN.

United Press Association.' (Received 12.50 p.m.) • Amsterdam, November 5. The Yorck struck a chain of n.ir.es p j? blocking Jahde Bay, in a fog Three hundred and eighty-two of the crew have been rescued,

Jqhde (or Jade). —Estuary of the North Sea, Oldenburg, Germany. It is a fine harbor and is the entrance to the Prussian naval port of Wilhelmshaven.