THE NAVAL BASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14323, 13 October 1910, Page 5

THE NAVAL BASE.

RUMOUR OF REMOVAL. FROM SYDNEY TO AUCKLAND. SYDNEY, Oct. 12. The "Daily Telegraph " in a special article states that the hase of the Imperial Navy in Australasia will be removed from Sydney to Auckland ;n 1912. It remarks that the news will come as a surprise to many Sydney people The change means that Garden Island will practically become the property of the Commonwealth Government. The large vietuui'.ig stores will be closed, the ammiuition department cleared out, and .ho holo station probably transferred to A tickland. The Royal Navy thro 1411 the Admiralty establishment spends :;.<,re than £300,000 annually, and this expenditure will probably be transfer.ed to Auckland. Admiralty Hoise nVi be closed, and the naval -.apni.n in charge remove his quarters elsewn.ire. In place of this Sydney may bo able to secure the present Comma i-vta.ii destroyer and possibly a cruiser ; but the amount of money spent tlier>ii will be insignificant compared ivith thatspent on the Royal Navy. -Mr Wade, the Premier, on hiing interviewed, declared that the whole matter was news to him. de kv-.w nothing of the matter.

MINISTER OF DEFENCE KNEW. Received midnight, Oct. 12th. MELBOURNE, Oct, 12. Referring to the removal of the Imperial Australasian naval base, the Minister of Defence states that the announcement that the squadron would cease to remain at Sydnev after the Australian unit was created, was made at the Imperial Conference in London. As far as ho remembered it was decided that the British boats should not remain in Australian waters, but provision was to be made for them docking, and for other work, when they visited Australia. New Zealand's position was different from Australia's. As New Zealand was contributing a cruiser to the China division, some destroyers were to be maintained on the New Zealand coast, and they would be under Imperial control.

SIR J. G. WARD INTERVIEWED. A PARTIAL EXPLANATION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON. Oct. 12 With reference to the cabled report that the Admiralty base is to be <h,fted to Auckland, the Prime , Minister said ho knew nothing whatever of the cable in question. '• AVhen in England at the Defence Conference." he added, "I represented that Auckland should he made the base for that portion of the Pacific fleet which is to remain in New Zealand waters, and that was agreed to, and Auckland is to he the base. The position that has arisen, in consequence of the Commonwealth Government having decided to establish its own navy, and take over Garden Tshind, where the whole work of tiie. Australian squadron is carried out, and the Dosition of Auckland in respect to the future, is a matter on which I am unable to express any opinion. It is nut within my province to attempt to interfere in any way between the snajgestnd arrangement* regarding Home authorities ami the Commonwealth Government. T have very little doubt the British Government will see that Justice is done to Australia. Of course the altered arrangements that have been made in reference to the Nnw wili bring into existence altered conditions, but the fact remains that the carrying out of ordinary work on the shins that will form the Australian fleet must be carried out in Australia itself."