477
A—s
necessity require to continue by direct subsidy or an increased subsidy which we are quite willing to give for a continued attachment to the Navy proper which we consider is so important to us. I have had the opportunity, owing to the courtesy of the First Lord of the Admiralty of discussing matters with him since we last met, and I asked for some information to be furnished to me regarding submarines. This I received late last night, and only had an opportunity of looking at it since I arrived at the Conference this morning. I have read the statement this morning with considerable interest, It goes without saying that lam not prepared —in fact 1 mentioned it to Lord Tweedmouth when speaking to him—to commit the Colony of New Zealand to any departure in the way of a suggested submarine service without having had the opportunity of conferring with my colleagues and in turn, any great departure if we contemplated making it, we would require to submit to our Parliament and have the ratification of our Parliament upon before assent by me at this Conference could be by any means directly or indirectly implied. I should be only too glad, however, to have the aspect of it placed before me, and when I have had an opportunity of discussing, placed before my colleagues with a view to our considering whether the suggestion of a submarine service, pure and simple, without the attendant surroundings of a local navy, as an alternative to an increased subsidy, could then be taken up by New Zealand as a part of the great organisation of the defence of the Empire as a whole, and that portion of which is New Zealand especially. I want to make the position clear so that the Admiralty, who are no doubt better posted upon these matters than I am, may know. We have 14 towns on the sea coast. The majority of them are very important towns. There is not one of them that is more than 9 miles at the outside from the ocean or to the port unless it be the city of Dunedin, which to the ocean itself, irrespective of the means of ingress and egress that ships have to take, is only 5 or 6 miles away from the Pacific. Though Lord Tweedmouth has not to me personally, or at the Conference, given any lead or indication as to what the Admiralty favours —whether it is the organisation of a local submarine service, and the responsibility being taken upon the shoulders of Australia and New Zealand—l have had no indication personally whether that method of dealing with the Colonies is more acceptable to the Admiralty than the continuation from the New Zealand point of view of a subsidy. I wish to add that from my point of view it would be of considerable importance for us to know what the Admiralty itself favours. If the Admiralty were to say to New Zealand that they believed as a matter of defence of that portion of the Empire that the system we have been party to for so many years has, as the result of changes in the scientific development of these submarines, become to some extent obsolete or not so valuable, and make the suggestion of a submarine force that would weigh considerably with the Government and the people in arriving at a decision as to the best course to follow in future, I think myself that the opinion of the Admiralty would be valuable. I recognise Lord Tweedmouth has taken a completely impartial stand, and allowed it to be at the voluntary action of the Colonies themselves to elect whether they go in for the subsidy or the submarine defence. In that respect, if I may be allowed to say so, it is particularly fair to the Colonies, and will be appreciated by New Zealand to be allowed from the standard of self-government to do as we think proper. We would like to have the opportunity of ascertaining what is the preference of the Admiralty in this suggested system of local defence for Australia as against the one for New Zealand for the continuation of a subsidy. Mr. Deakin has already, for his country, said Lord Tweedmouth has acted with a generous consideration for the views put forth' by Australia, having
Thirteenth Day 8 May 1907,
Naval Defem f. (Sir Joseph Ward.)
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.