MR. FISHER'S VIEWS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20039, 24 March 1914, Page 5

MR. FISHER'S VIEWS.

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Mar. 23. Speaking at the banquet at Pongaroa. on the naval question, the Hon. $. M. B. Fisher said that we bad less fighting power in the Dominion than we iiad in 1887. When we paid £40,000 per yea rme had' figihting ships of a tonnage of 41,000 tonsj now for an expenditure of a quarter of a million per year we had 6300 tons of out-of-date defence in three ships, which were of no earthly use at all. If the British Government could not carry out its agreement, New Zealand must assert its nationality and have at least up-to-date ships. There did not seem to be any good reason why England had not supplied this country with an adequate protecting fleet. It was now, he said, generally admitted that no crisis occurred in 1908 to make our contribution of a battleship specially •< necessary. At the time some mention had' been made of despatches from the British Government, but search had disclosed the fact" that no such despatches were in existence. It should, be our policy to supply not only funds, but men and ships for Imperial defence.