NAVAL BASE AT AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2648, 2 November 1909, Page 5

NAVAL BASE AT AUCKLAND.

AY HAT IT MEANS

Mr. Jas. Sellar, of Aberdeen, late general manager of the Tangong-Pagar Dock Company Ltd., Singapore, and a member of the Institute of Naval Architects, had something to say to a “New Zealand Herald” representative on New Zealand’s naval policy, which recommended itself to him. He thought it would be impossible for New Zealand to build a local navy that would be of any real service. Not only had the ships to be built, but facilities had io be provided for the repairing of them. It was presumed that the British Government would provide the some facilities at Auckland, the New Zealand naval base, as were provided at other bases, and these would be eminently useful for the merchant fleet as well as the navy, and would be the nucleus for a shipbuilding industry in New Zealand. These facilities would include the necessary dry-dock accommodation and machine shops. Any danger that would threaten New Zealand, continued Mr. Sellar, would probably be in the form of a raid by a small navalforce that had eluded the British ships. The chances were the authorities were right when they said that the North Sea was where naval liistorv would be made.

Mr. Sellar said he did not apprehend any danger from what was known as the “yellow peril,” and he regarded the advance of China without any misgiving. It was difficult to foretell what the ultimate effect would be, but he thought that country had the making of a great nation, and was not likely to become aggressively militant.