AUSTRALIAN NAVY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13647, 15 July 1908, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NAVY.

IN THE COMMONS, RETMA' TO~m¥ REDMOND. p ces , Received 10.12 p.m., duly ,14th. . LONDON, July 14. T,i the House of Commons, Mr Reginald McKenna, First Lord of Abe Admiralty, replying to Mr W. Redmond, the member for Clare, said it was quite natural that the Commonwealth- should :*rish to have her 1 own scheme of naval defence. Ihe Government were perfectly willing to assist' Australia .in devising a scheme. What, Australia now proposed was a, mere 'outline upon which no action could be taken. The scheme required very considerable • development and modification before it! could, become, practicable. A communication had. been addressed to the Commonwealth stating that her scheme was being inquired' into ; that the Admiralty was seeking to construct the best scheme in Mr DeakinV, fullest sense; that ib was under Hie Admiralty's consideration, and that the. Admiralty hoped that if it was not possible to frame a scheme of its own to amplify the scheme proposed, and then come ;lo an arrangement with ithfl Commonwealth ; bub .delay in the circumstances was essential. No alternative scheme bail been put forward because Hie Admiralty was quite content. (o adhere to the, prewul; arrangements, but. it was anxious to help the Commonwealth, and was now endeavouring to do so bv construct ing a. ■ scheme, on the outlines'which Jiad.Jtf-eii,suggested.