THE SYDNEY MEETING.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12499, 27 March 1909, Page 3

THE SYDNEY MEETING.

MR REID'S SPEECH. ADMIRATION OF NEW ZEALAND. MR WADE TAKEN TO TASK. Sydney, March 26. In the course of his speech at tlie Dreadnought meeting, Mr G. H. Reid, leader of the Federal Opposition, said he admired the liberality of that little country, New Zealand. If they wanted to know who was' the leader of Australasia in the estimation of the world, it was not this great continent—it was that gallant little place, New Zealand. A wire was, read from Mr Wade, New_ South Wales Premier, who is absent in the country, expressing the opinion that tfce Dreadnought proposal was inappropriate, because there was no immediate danger to England, and no need for the money, and that the proposed courso was spasmodic. He favoured an increase of the Naval subsidy to £500,000^ which would represent interest on several Dread- ' noughts. The "Sydney Morning Herald" says : "Last night's Sydney and Melbourne meetings declared in simple straightforward language that,- however politicians may falter, the peo-"ple-of Australia are ready and eager to contribute without restriction or reserve." ■ ;The "Telegraph" declares that the meetings may be taken as a. representative protest against the failure both of the Federal and the State' Governments to recognise the significance of the present crisis in -Imperial affairs. Both papers take Mr Wade, New South Wales State Premier, to task for his absence and attitude.