IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2584, 19 August 1909, Page 5

IMPERIAL DEFENCE.

THE TERRITORIAL FORCES. AN AMBULANCE AUXILIARY. United Pri:ss Association----Coi'yhigjit LONDON, August 17. With the War Office's approval the British Red Cross Society is organising' a large scheme of voluntary aid -to • tho sick and wounded by - moans of mirst.> and ambulance men, as adjuncts to the Territorial forces. THE COMMONWEALTH NAVY. MR DEAKIN’S VIEWS. MELBOURNE, August 18. Mr Deakin, the Federal Premier, states that though he lias not yet received any statement from Colonel Foxton, the Commonwealth representative, in reference, to the acceptance of the Commonwealth navy proposals, judging from the .press cables they had been accepted from first to last. “Tho fact that the Commonwealth is to keep the completest control of the boats of her unit and the time and place of their disposal would,’-’ he said,, “no doubt ho extremely gratifying to Australians. It does not include a Dreadnought, since such a vessel would not display full efficiency in oceans in the neighborhood of Australia. The unit will consist principally of cruisers, one of which will probably represent the highest present develornent in swift cruisers. The proposals also provide for harbor defence. The estimated upkeep of the new unit is placed at £75,000 to £IOO,OOO annually. It Ms part of the arrangement that the Commonwealth is to have the right to determine whether an emergency at any time is such as to justify Australian vessels passing to Imperial control. This means in effect that the Federal Government will decide whether an emergency has arisen. An important feature is that the boats as far as possible will he both officered and manned by Australians.” SIR JOSEPH WARD ON THE CONFERENCE. '■A MUCH 'BETTER CONDITION OF AFFAIRS WILL EXIST.” (Received August IS, 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, August IS. Sir Joseph Ward assured a private •conference of New Zealanders yesterday in reference to the Defence Conference that he would go back to New Zealand with many good results, and was justified in saying, in general terms, that he was confident that a very much better condition of affairs would exist after the conference than had ever been the case before.