BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9169, 18 August 1908, Page 5

BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

. THE RUMOURS OF WAR. "ALL NONSENSE." Received August 17, 10.15 p.m. LONDON, August 17. Mr Winston Churchill, UnderSecretary for the Colonies, speaking at Swansea, strongly deprecated the attempt of some people in Britain to spread the belief that war between Britain and Germany was inevitable. "To talk of war between the two nations is all nonsense," said Mr Churchill." "Britain is an island, and no Government which is likely to be in power will depart in any degree from a naval policy which will keep Britain secuie effectively from outside invasion. Secondly, there is no collision of primary interests between Britain and Germany in any quarter of the globe. Germany is among our very best customers." Regarding the apprehensions of some colonies that are seizable Mr Churchill eaid that nothing would alter the destiny of great communities like Canada, Australia, South Africa and India.

Received August 17, 11.32 p.m. LONDON, August 17. Mr Churchill, continuing, said that the colonies were pursuing their own path and shaping their own destiny, which would not ne altered in the future as the result of any struggle in Europe. After ridiculing the idea of the two great countries fighting for what remained, namely, tropical plantations and small scattered coaling stations, Mr Churchill concluded by urging Home Rule for Ireland as a great act of statecraft.