DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2134, 17 July 1907, Page 3

DEFENCE OF THE COLONY.

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS. CONTRIBUTION TO THE NAVY. WELLINGTON, Inst night. The following remarks dealing with defence matters occur in the Financial Statement, delivered to-night:— As indicated in last Budget a Council of Defence has been established and now' controls the defence affairssubject to the authority of the Minister of Defence. Every effort is being made to encourage the volunteer system, including defence rifle clubs, and regulations have been issued providing for the formation of reserve corps. TKe capitation of defence cadets has been increased. You will be asked to make provision for additional ne cessary equipment for adult volunteers so as to have properly-equipped forces for the defence of New Zealand. The regulations have been altered to allow individual - volunteers to earn capitation irrespective of the attendance of his comrades. This should give satisfaction to volunteers. The instruction of officers and N.C.O.’s ir being dealt *witli, and good results are already noticeable. The training ship Amokura has been put in com mission, and is now controlled by the Marine Department. _. The Council has under consideration a scheme for re-organising the per manent force, arid regulating the ~av and allowances on more satisfactory lines than at present. The matter will be dealt with in the annual re port. The agreement between New Zea land and the British Government htc over six years to run. No proposal has been made by the Government tr change the present agreement, nor is there a disposition to do so. Mem bers are aware, however, that the question was discussed at the recent Imperial Conference in London, con sequent on a desire on the part of thCommonwealth to in some form era ate a subsidiary coastal defence system. and for that- purpose modify tin existing agreement so far as it affecL the Commonwealth. We must wai* until the decision of the Common wealth in this respect has taken the form of legislative action. When that has been done and we know the extent to which the Commonwealth desires to modify the agreement it may become necessary for us to enter into a fresh agreement with the British Government, in which case we shall, I hope, be willing to increase our contribution to £IOO,OOO a year. The importance of securing the fullest protection of the British Navy cannot be over-estimated, irrespective of the direct advantages thereby accruing to N.Z. It must not be forgotten that the Pacific Islands require regtdar visits of British ships of war. Our interests there are considerable, and are dailv growing. and as N.Z. is very closely concerned in the preservation and development of these islands it is essential that periodical visits of ships of the British Navv should continue. The influence of the regular _ presence of a British man-of-war in the Pacific can scarcely be too Y emphasised, and I am satisfied tha Parliament in the event of a chang° of the present arrangement will do what it required to provide suitable headquarters for ships of the British Navv at Auckland, where the presence of a deck and other facilities tor •arrying out the work of repair .larks its suitability as a centre.