Defence Expenditure.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1743, 7 October 1885, Page 2

Defence Expenditure.

The colony lias expended a very large sum m the defence of its porta, and more still will be spent before the system has been completed. Many people think that the fear of our chief seaports being attacked by a foreign cruiser is chimerical, and that the defence expenditure has been, in a great measure, money thrown away. Mr Stout, the Premier, has, however, positively asserted that the expenditure in question was necessary. In replying to a deputation at Dunedin, which had waited upon him with respect to the question of expenditure on defence, Mr Stout stated that the Government was in possession of official documents showing that had war been declared between England and Russia in 1876, an attack on the Australian and New Zealand ports would have been made by Russia. The period referred to Jby Mr Stout is nine years back, but we suppose that when the war scare occurred a few months ago, the Government thought that possibly Russia might still cherish its former designs against the colonies. Anyway, a great many people m the colony cried out for defence measures to be taken, and so the largo expenditure was incurred. It is necessary now to complete the scheme of defence, after having gone so far with it.