IF THE FLEET FAILED?

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14452, 26 May 1911, Page 7

IF THE FLEET FAILED?

iWHERE WGLD NEW ZEALAND BE?

OBJECTS OF THE NAVY LEAGUE.

A STRIKING ADDRESS.

lhe Waimate Branch of the Nav} - Leaguo iieia a most successful social ana dance in tlie skatiug xui& on Wednesday nignt, when there was a very large attendance. Tuo first, part yr tiie evening was devoted to speeches, musical ana elocutionary items. ihe President (Mr N. i'raucis) gave an address on the objects of tiie Navy League as follows: — As President of the Waimate Branch 1 have been asked by the committee to place before you as briefly as possible the objects of the Navy League, and: more particularly ot our own branch. .With the exception of Trafalgar Day it would be impossible to meet together for this purpose on a more suit- j able occasion than this Empire Day evening—a day named to perpetuate the fact of the great increase of the British Empire during the reign of tho .late Queen Victoria, the anniversary of whose birthday we have celebrated on rh's date for so many years. One of the main objects of the Navy League is by inculcating and strenuously upholding the principles of a great national policy based on sea . Jjower to bind together tho scattered members of the Empire into one -Treat ?* e ' in interest as in heart, and prepared to maintain intact in territory and untarnished in honour the splendid l inheritance received; from onr forefathers. Founded in England the League has now branches throughout the British Empire which are rapidly increasing. Before trying to show you now- important it is for everv New to take an active interest in the work of the League I will read you the objects of the Navy League *3 «et out by the English Executive:— - _To spread information showing the vital importance to tie British Empire of the maintenance of Naval su- / premacy upon, which depends its trade Empire, and national existence. ' t "*■? ca P. attention to the enormous Stands which war would make upon Navy, and to such measures as may be requisite to secure adequate preparation for the maritime defence of the Empire. . , . (c) To urge these matters on public men, Mm particular/ upon candidates for Parliament. (d) The practical training of lads for the sea.

I do nui think tliitt anyone can oflVr J any objection to our aims and object-;, j Tiiere is no desire for warfare, but to . show to the various Governments . in the Empire that the people rca> ,; H s j that the of an all 'powj.ful j licc-l is the Ue.st uu?«ns to prevent auy ; othrr nation from wishing to oust Kujilaßii from liei position as misses > o' th'» seas. Consequently, tho small sacrifice necessary to attain that object ; are merely the ordinary premium tor t insurance which no sane person grudges in private affairs. How necessary that : ins.nraw-0 is to the ixxrplo of New Zoft- ! land I ho])e to briny: home to you by ' means of a. few figures. From. the last erturns available in the present Gov- j eminent War Hook we find our export* j were valued at £'21,467.(557, of which t over 70 per cent found its way to j Great Britain, ami some two-thirds of I our valued at £14,774.',77, came from Great Britain. Is is not j clear,- therefore, that supposing tho i Fnglish porta were even temporarily J olcrbod to us on account of the Fleet | Ik-lag unable to protect the adjacent i seas, an Almost absolute cessation of j trade would oocur with disastrous re- j suits to our fiunnccs? If, however, we | turn to tho tablo showing what our exports consist of, we find that considerably over one quarter is-made up of perishable produce*, viz.: Meat, butter and cheese, which could not possibly be profitably stored for any length of time, even if such storage accommodation was available. . "What would bo the result for us? i Ail produce would be unsaleable,. : much of it would perish, no money would be available, aud should these conditions hold for any length of j time ruin would result for many, both' ! on the land and' in the towns, You will ail, I think, agree that. I iiavo not exaggerated tile position likely, to occur while war was in progress. Now let me ask you to consider our position if the British Navy owing to insufficient ships had. suffered defeat and the seas were in the hands or enemy. Would not our little country be at their mercy, and would not we be subjected to foreign rule ; -or compelled to pay a large indemnity? The Government estimate of the wealth of the Dominion is not available but the 'capital value of land alone is set down at over 277% millions sterling, yet for the protection of not only our wealth but even our very existence how much do we spend on naval defence? Under tfte Australasian Naval Defence Act passed in 1887.we contributed a paltry £40,000 per. annum to the British Government,, until this sum was increased in 190S to £IOO,OOO per annum—a sum equivalent to about 2s. per head'of our population. To this we now have to add the interest and sinking fund on the cost of the Dreadnought presented to the Old Country in. 1909 which is being built. 'Compare these figures with the present Naval estimates, before the British Parliament. We read

a lew day# ago that the sum proposed was jL44.3 ( J3,000, "which according to the previous ceu&us returns giving the population of the United Kingdom at 42 millions (now doubtless .somewhat increased) shows an annual payment of over £1 per head i'or naval defence alonOj whilst the Army costs an additional "JS millions. We do not begrudge spending £1 per head on our very excellent educational system. Should wo not therefore impress on our legislators that /they must not. hesitate to support all proposals submitted fpr increased naval vote for the defence of our shores and tho safe carriage oi' our produce? New Zealand is the first portion of tho British .Empire to go in for universal military training, and we must do uir utmost to help her to show tho vor'd tjnit she is also not only willing biit anxious to take her share in any increased expenditure necessary during the present activity in naval oxpanditure among all nations. At the forthcoming Imperial Conference to bo m» soon held in London some schcns of imperial defence may be formulated, and we need have' little fear as to the steps our representatives will take. Our duty will bo to get our legislators to approve their action on their return.

The question now arises as to the host methods which, we in Waimate ran assist. With a, population in Borough and County of 8503 every one pr?sont has ample &eopo to lay the position before many or their friends and neighbours, and persuade them to assist the objects of the League by enrolling themselves as it' only at 3 s per annum. lo is hoped; that shbrt-ly a conference of all the various New* Zealand centres - will b9 held, when it may bo possible to get their united support on all measures to be laid before the Government, and if success is to be attained it can only ba with tihti -assistance -of >i\ great number of the electors. The Canterbury centre is already ' making enquiries about a. training brig for sonic of our boys who desire a. seafaring life, and once the funds of our local branch permit I hope to see a. small depot here where boys may receive elementary knowledge of sea life, and some be eventually drafted off w Government training ships to learn the lire of a sailor able to defend h:s oofcntry on the seas. In the meantime' we must content ourselves h\ working up our membership and getting our present supporters interested in our work. It is thought that a gathering such as we have this evening will do more to bring our local members together and increase their sympathy with the League than the distribution of pamphlets on naval subjects. An energetic canvass has been made-among the business people during the past few days, and our membership roll, which a month ago stood at 197. now shows 237. If by chance there. are some present here to-night who, when purchasing t'heir tickets for this entertainment, were not enrolled as members, the Committee will be obliged by their leaving their names and. addresses with the secretary, Mr Fitch, before they leave, as a ticket for to-night's entertainment entitles them to free membership for tl*e year. It is hoped that ill present will interest ,themselves in the League, and each enroll at least two -new members, who may subscribe any sum'from Is np to" 10s per'ahnumT - We have to thank Mr McGratlr for kindly giving us the -use of the Hall with gas. piano, etc.. absolutely free of ciharge. Later you will be asked by the vice-president to show your appreciation of his generosity. I w&h to take this opportunity to thank the local Press for their assistance, for by full reports of all meetings and occasional leading articles they have been continually keeping before the public the objects of the League. The following items formed the entertainment programme:— Piano solo, Miss Miller; Violin and! Piano duet. Misses Hamilton j songs, Misses Rattray and Franklin, Messrs "Wallace, Hay arid Atwill; vocal duet, Messrs Hav and Wallace; recitation, Mr Atwill.' Misses Miller and Nichol acted as accompanists.

Mr E. C. Stud holme, vice-president, thanked Mr McGrath for placing the rink at tlieir disposal the ladies lor their kindness in providing supper, and: all who had assisted) in making the. function a success. Dancing was tlien taken up enthusiastically and kept going to an early hour, CONSTIPATION. • The .most persistent and troublesome human ailment known, and the frrerunner of many other diseases, is now most effectively cured with Chamberlain's Tablets, and then most cf the other ailments vanish because nature ; has a free chance to work, Chamber- | lain's Tablets are a simple and reliable remedy and one that contains no harsh