DEFENCE OF EMPIRE

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 382, 13 March 1937, Page 5

DEFENCE OF EMPIRE

BRITAIN’S NAVAL FORCES.

DOMINION CO-OPERATION Matter for Imperial Discussions. Press Asse ation— Copyright. Rec-: '.ved 12.50 p.m. Ixmdon, March 12. The allusion made in the House of Commons ,Ly Sir Samuel Hoare, First Lord of the Admiralty, to Britain’s determination on a’ ”1 o-Hemisphere” standard, is understood to indicate the establishment of a Far Eastern Fleet as strong as the Home and Mediterranean Fleets.

The Australian Associated Press gathers that this wilt be one of the main features of Imperial d'aoussicnr, in which the Dominions’ n«vai co-oporatlon with Britain will he sought. Sir Samuel devoted his speech introducing the- Naval Estimates to three principal questions. First, were they building the right kind of fleet for now conditions? Secondly, what was the naval policy behind the programme? Thirdly, what was the future of naval armaments? Sir Samuel Hoare said that five new battleships would be laid down during 1937, because, as 12 of the existing 15 w< r- over co years old. they would other'- r j-.e m.,a sgisitlon of serious weakness in fafc» of naval Powers which had teambuilding new battb ships for sow-i years. The new battleships would dispface about 25,000 tons and would have I4in. guns, and were designed for n higher speed than any existing British battleship. OBVIATING NAVAL RACE. Referring t< Italy, Sir Samuel said he wes glad to say that the Haban Government was ready To make a valuable contribution by Its readiness fo accept a maximum gun calibre of 14 inches for capital ships, provided the other principal naval Powers did likewise. He hoped; following the Angloltalian Declaration relating to the Mediterranean, that Italy would accede before long to the whole treaty.

He urged the House not to underestlnwite tin value of the 1936 treaty, which ho believed might be great. It was re'gn.'table hr 1 it embodied no direct quantitative limitation, but if the treaty became general they might nevertheless obviate a naval race. Which could be qualitative as much as quantitative, and past experience tho War 1 that the first was the more dangerous. Competition in types was more expensive and more detrimental to friendjy relations between nations thian comipetition in numibsrs. The 1935 treaty gave them the chance to avoid a race of new types and sizes, and he was not unhopeful of the future.

Labour Critic On Estimates.

Press Association—Copyright. London, March 12.

Mr. A. V. Alexander (Labour —Hillsborough), criticising the Navy Estimates In the House of Commons, asked if the naval strength of Australia and New Zealand would be increased and, If so, would the Dominions contribute. “It there is danger Of war in the Pacific the Dominions might find themselves In a different mind from what, thgy have been recently,” he said.