THE NAVAL AGREEMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2629, 11 October 1909, Page 3

THE NAVAL AGREEMENT.

AUCKLAND AS A BASE. WHAT IT MEANS TO THE PORT. With a view to getting an idea of what the new naval agreement means to Now Zealand, and to Anck’am in particular, a “New Zealand Uerulu” representative recently interviewed Air W. J. Napier, who, as president of the Auckland branch of the Navy League, and as a member of the Auckland Harbor Board, has always taken a prominent part in advocating naval interests here.

In reply to questions, Air Napier stated that the agreement just entered into, speaking so far as New Zealand was concerned, was an immense stop in advance for the Empire, for Now Zealand, and especially for Auckland. “That this is so,” he went on,” “may he gauged from the present position. In 1903 an agreement was entered into between the Lords of the Admiralty, the Commonwealth, and New Zealand, by which it was resolved that there should be on the Australian station one armoured cruiser of the firstclass, two second-class cruisers, four third-class cruisers, tour sloop::, and a Royal navy reserve consisting of 25 officers and 700 seamen and stokers The agreement provided that the base qf this squadron should be the ports of Australia and Now Zealand, and that tho sphere of operations should be the waters of Australasia, China, and tho East Indies, these being the waters where the Admiralty alleged the navy could act most effectively against hostile vessels which threatened the interests or trade of Australia or New Zealand. Australia agreed to contribute five-twelfths and New Zealand one-twelfth of the total annual cost of maintaining the naval force on tho Australian station, the maximum amount being fixed at £20,000 for Australia, and £40.000 for New Zealand. By article 9 of the agreement, it is stated. “Jim Imperial Government recognises the ad vantages to be derived from making Australasia a base lor coal and supplies for the squadrons in Eastern waters ’ This agreement was renewed in 1908. when New Zealand voluntarily agreed, without conditions, to increase its contribution to £IOO,OO, and this is tlm agreement we are now working under

THE OLD AND THE NEW

“The new agreement,” Air Napier went on to say, “has radically altered both the basis and conditions of the old agreement. Australia will no longer make a monetary contribution to tlm Imperial fleet located in Australian waters, nor will Sydney any longer bp. the Imperial naval station, as it has hither to been. Australia now provides its own fleet, just as if it were merely an allied nation and not an integral part of the British dominions. That local Australian fleet will be under the control of the Commonwealth Government, but in time of war will become a unit of the great Imperial fleet, which will practically now dominate the Pacific. New Zealand, on the other hand, contributes the.monetary sum of £250.000 towards the one Imperial navy, and in return for this she will have located in her own waters a large contingent of-the great Pacific iieet, the flagship of which, New Zealand’s own Indomitable, will patrol the China S-: a ant! pay frequent visits to New Zealand, lc will, therefore, be readily understood that Auckland emerges from the position of being a satellite of Sydney as a naval port to the position of being the Pacific base for the Pacific Imperial fleet. ‘‘There must necessarily be gnat ue pots here of stores, ammunition, end coal, and it follows that the Garden Island depot at Sydney, now held by the British Government, will be given up to the Australian unit of the fleet. It seems to me, tliereiore, that stores and works equally similar to those at Garden Island must be established at Auckland. Personally, I have looked forward to this event lor years, and have constantly urged on the Auckbnd Harbor Board to make suitable provision fo r making this the greatest naval depot in the Pacific. In 1899 the Harbor Board, upon my motion, obtained the passing of an Empowering Act by which the Board was empowered to establish, erect, and equip and maintain within the harbor a depot for the sw-r age of coal for the use of the navy, and this depot i.s now located at 1> nuri Point, where there is a depth of 9011 of water within a few leet from the shore. Referring to Admiralty House, Air Napier said it seemed that with the new importance Auckland will acquire, and the long periods the Admiral with his flagshio will be in our waters, he will require accommodation ashore such as the Admiral of the present Australian squadron has at .Sydney, Hobart, and other places. CALLIOPE DOCK.

“Is Auckland fully equipped at present as a naval base?” Air Napier v as asked. . . . “According to the Admiralty it is, replied Air " Napier. “At all events for the purposes of the fleets which have hitherto been stationed in these waters, but as I have already indicated with the increased strength of the fleet it is probable that additional equipment will be required. Calliope Dock it now equipped with modern workshops for the repairing of warships, and the Auckland Harbor Board receives a subsidy from tho Admiralty of £SOOO per annum for 30 years in consideration of such equipment and its maintenance. A year or two ago I urged the Board to consider the desirability of enlarging Calliope Dock in view of the constantly growing size of warships and merchantmen, and the Board has bad reports prepared by Air Hamer, and certain action is- being taken of a tentative character which will increase the utility of the dock. In the near future, however, in accordance with the scheme upon which the Board has embarked, a large new dock will lie constructed in Alechanics’ Bay. If the Admiralty requires the lengthening of Calliope Dock immediately, as it seems it must under the new arangemerit with the Indomitable visiting "New Zealand, it means that a fresh agreement between the Admiralty and the Board will possibly he entered into.” THE COMMERCIAL BENEFIT.

Asked whether he considered that Auckland would gain from a commercial standpoint of being a naval base, Air Napier said there could be no doubt that the new arrangement would be of enormous commercial benefit to Auckland city. The spending power of the new squadron would be four o.r five times as groat ns that of the present naval detachment, while the amount which would be spent by the Imperial Government locally in stores, coal, etc., would be enormously increased, Then employment would be afforded to our mechanics and others in connection with repairs, fittings, etc., from time to time. “So you will see,” he concluded, “that from the standpoint of benefit to our tradespeople, Sir Joseph Ward has rendered an immense service to the port of Auckland.”