AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL POLICY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12746, 17 April 1909, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S NAVAL POLICY.

Speech by Mr Fisher

Press Association .—Telegraph .—Copyright. Received April 17, 10.15 a.m.

BRISBANE, April 16. Mr Fisher, replying to comments on his naval policy, eaid that if the people of the Commonwealth wanted the Government to present a Dreadnought they would have to provide another Government to do it. His idea was by far the better for all concerned, if they spent the money on strengthening their own defences. He did not wish 'to say anything about those people who desired to give a Dreadnought, but he declined to commit the Government to. such a foolish act. Those who advocated giving a Dreadnought would have to go to the .Mother Country and ask her to provide the money to do it. Could anything be more ridiculous? They simply declared to the world that they had neither the money to build battleships themselves nor had they the dockyards nor material for building them, and they also had to admit that they had neither the men to man them nor trained men to officer them.