REDUCTION OF NAVY.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 16 May 1922, Page 1

REDUCTION OF NAVY.

CANADA’S NAVAL PLANS. RESULT OF FINANCIAL SITUATION. Press Assn.—By Tel. —Copyright. VANCOUVER, May ;4. Smacking of “Pinafore,” s-.ys a leading Canadian newspaper, with reference to Canada’s 'plans for far.-'isli-ing protection for a cruiser scriiee taking the place of Canada’s navy, which in turn is practically scrapped. The Minoster for Naval Defence, speaking in the House •>f Commons, said the five new ships which Britain a year ago presented to Canada, will be laid up, and the bulk of the crews will be sent home, Britain replacing these with a fisher cruiser and two trawlers, which will be placed in the Atlantic and Pacific. Four officers from the Royal Navy now in the service will be retained io train a sort of naval militia, f r tv. o or three weeks of each year. It is hoped to train 1500 youths annually, they later being can lidates for iho fishery protection service if they vish to join.

It is expected next week that this outline of the Government naval plans will be fully discussed in Parliament Meantime an explanation on behalf of the Government says that the action proposed is in view of the general suspension of great expenditures throughout the world, and of Canada’s financial position, and “the burdens we have to carry. So we must face the situation in the light of the declaration by leading statesmen, and there must be a suspension of abnormal expenditure.”

AUSTRALIA’S REDUCTIONS. 'SYDNEY, May 15. Mr Hughes announced his defence, policy at Mullumbimby. He stated that the estimates had been framed on the basis of providing for a total reduction of £1,750,000 below the estimated expenditure of 1921. Reductions had been made possible by the Washington decisions. Limited defence measures were necessary, hence the provision was being made for manufacturing munitions but with a reduced output so that nucleus defence organisations would exist, to be amplified in case of emergency.

The Government, intended to use 12inch guns on the Australia for the strengthening of coastal defence, while a number of vessels in the Australian fleet would bo placed on the reserve also the submarine flotilla. The personnel of the latter would be retained and distributed among the vessels in commission, to be available if necessary.

There would be the greatest reductions in the army. It was proposed to abolish junior cadet training, cadets in future to be trained between the ages of 16 and 18, then to pass into the, militia, ceasing at 20. Everything was reduced to practically 25 per cent, of the war strength. Compensation would be paid to soldiers retired, unless absorbed into other Government departments. The air service for the present would be reduced from four squadrons to one, but the civil aviation vote would be increased.