§ MR. WILLIAM REDMOND (Clare, E.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the new arrangement as to naval affairs arrived at with the Australian Commonwealth.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIR ALTY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouth, N.The general features of the scheme proposed by the Commonwealth Government in substitution for the present agreement have been already published by the Press. It is mainly an attempt to combine inter-changeability of the personnel of the Australian naval force with that of the Royal Navy, together with complete control by the Commonwealth Government over the material and personnel of that force while actually serving in the Australian vessels: The scheme as put' forward by Mr. Deakin is in bare outline, and requires much amplification before it can be discussed with advantage, while the difficulties inherent in the scheme itself are very great.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDCan the right hon. Gentleman state whether, pending the ratification of the establishment of the Commonwealth Navy, the subsidy continues to be paid?
§ MR. MCKENNAOh, yes, Sir, it continues at present.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDHas any date been fixed for the end of the subsidy?
§ MR. MCKENNAI think it will automatically cease as it exists at present in 1913.
§ MR. WILLIAM REDMONDIs it not the fact that as an outcome of the Colonial Conference recently held here, the Admiralty waived the subsidy when this scheme was first mentioned? Will it continue to be paid till the date mentioned or not?
§ MR. MCKENNAAs soon as the new arrangement is made, the subsidy, in its present form, will come to an end, but till then, no doubt it will go on.
§ MR. R. DUNCAN (Lanarkshire, Govan)Does the new arrangement include any joint obligation as to coaling stations in the Southern Pacific?
§ MR. MCKENNAasked for notice of the Question.