THE DEFENCE OF TIMARU AND OAMARU.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3277, 28 March 1885, Page 3

THE DEFENCE OF TIMARU AND OAMARU.

(Otaffo Ddify Times.) We cannot agree with' the view which Sir Julius Yogel expressed as to there being no necessity for protecting the minor ports— such aa Oamaru and Timaru— against the attack of a hostile cruiser. Admitted that the greater the importance of any town the greater the temptation to the enemy, and the greater the humiliation to the colony if it should be put under contribution ; but if our large ports are fortified and our smaller left defenceless, the enemy would naturally not trouble himself to attack those from which he might expect resistance so long as there were respectably-sized ports which could do nothing to defend themselves. An enemy could levy considerable sums or inflict considerable damage upon Oamaru and Timaru, and it can scarcely be pretended that such a disaster to these towns would not be^ a humiliation to the whole colony. It is only right and reasonable that the defence of the larger towns Bhould be seen to first ; but we trust that Major Cautley will be instructed to prepare plans for the Bluff, Oamaru, Timaru, Westport, Greymouth, Pieton, and Nelson. The- Bluff, we believe, is already provided for m his report ; Napier, Qisborne, New Plymouth, { Wanganui, &c, to be carried out as soon as the larger ports have been provided for. We | must confess that m spite of the £100,000 order we fear that the Government aro to a large extent playing with the question of the defence . of the colony. A recent telegram informed us that the guns ordered from Home will not be here for at least a yeai 1 , and there ane no signs (beyond promises) of any steps being taken to provide for the provisional defence of the Colony m case of an immediate war. Happily, such a war is less probable than it was a fortnight ago, but there is still* a large element of possibility, which a wise Government would take into account and provide against to the best of their ability. It is evident that the Government have made up their minds that there is no real danger ; and as at the time when the danger was greatest the probabilities were always m favor of peace, tho chances are that they will come out right ; but their means of information are no better than ours, and upon the evidence before us it seems clear that the inexpensive provisionary measures which we have advocated ought to be oarried out.