137

A—s

. dating any of the ships likely to be retained in our waters; and we have two other large docks in New Zealand already, one at Lyttelton and one at Port Chalmers, where there is also a second and larger one now being built. I foresee one possibility, and that is, if an Australian Squadron were to be kept out in our waters, and our existing docks, or the docks about to be constructed, were not of sufficient length to cover the ships out there, we should be placed in a very awkward position if the duty were cast upon us of equipping and maintaining those docks entirely, and for this reason : we have a different method of initiating and carrying out the construction of docks in New Zealand to what exists in the Old Country. We have what are known as Harbour Boards, and in one case a Dock Trust, elected by the people from different portions of the district, and upon which some Government nominees are appointed for the purpose of looking after the general interests of the harbours and docks of New Zealand. There are two possibilities that may arise about this suggestion, and I make it in order that the point may be further considered as to whether the Admiralty should not define what is to be the dock of the future in our waters so far as capacity goes for the berthing of these ships. Take the case of Wellington. If they finish a dock 600 feet long in the course of 18 months, British ships may be sent out to our country 650 feet long. lam not giving 600 feet as the length of the Wellington dock, as it may, and I think is to be, much longer. lam giving an illustration only. It is a good thing to encourage in our country the providing of suitable docks for repairing and meeting the requirements of ships in view of any time of trouble, if we should ever have trouble out in our waters, though I very much doubt it. T think the settlement of the troubles of the Empire, whenever they arise, will be far distant from the colonies. If an opponent of the British Empire wanted to settle the question of who is to be supreme upon the seas, or who is to take, if they can, any portion of the British Empire, it is hardly conceivable that they would come out to our waters to settle questions of that kind, though New Zealand itself is too valuable to neglect in any way local defence. Ido not want to raise questions which might be looked upon as troublesome, but we do fear some of the eastern countries, whose teeming millions, so close to Australia and New Zealand as they are, under an educational process in the years to come may find the attractions of our country sufficient to induce them to give us some trouble. T think, in any arrangements we make with the Admiralty for our defence upon the seas in the common interests of the Empire as a whole, if we are to make that arrangement of a practical nature—and the people of our country are only too anxious to help—this all-important question of equipping, maintaining, and providing docks should be considered upon a practical basis, and the Admiralty itself might convey to us, for our information, what length of dock for ships in our waters may in their judgment in the future be required. I may say that, under the system of constructing harbour board docks in New Zealand, we would go a long way towards meeting the requirements of the Admiralty in the different parts of the Colony. T wnsh to say one word about this question of coaling. The New Zealand Government has seen its responsibilities connected with coaling in our country for a number of years. I think at the moment, in round figures, we have either provided for or guaranteed the debentures to enable some of our west coast ports in New Zealand to be first-class coaling places for the purpose of the exportation of coal, and we have done so to the extent of over half a million of money. I listened to that portion of the observations of Lord Tweedmouth with special interest. In our country special facilities at Westport and Greymouth could be provided of a very satisfactory kind, and they certainly could be provided in Australia at the Port of Newcastle; a harbour for the largest ships in the world could be provided at

19—A. 5.

Fifth Day. 23 April 1907.

Naval Defence. (Sir Joseph Ward.)