The New Zealand Legion.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15047, 15 August 1914, Page 10

The New Zealand Legion.

Tho people of New Zealand will to-day be lees interested in the news from tho seat of .war,than in the impressive farewoll scenes in Wellington yesterday, when, as the result of a sudden call from Homo, the advance party of our foroign legion embarked for the unknown. Until between two and threo o'clock tho authorities had expected that tho 1400 men, on whom has fallen tho honour of leading tho way in therally of tho oversea Empire to the Motherland in this time of crisis, would not require to bo despatched tor somedays. Advice received by his Excellency the Governor during the afternoon, however, made it necessary that the forces should leavo as soon as possible, and after a stirring demonstration at tho Basin Reservo tho men bade farewell to their people and embarked on the troopships without further delay.

It will bo a source of prido and satisfaction to this small Dominion that it has succeeded in being first on the water with troops for Great Britain in tho greatest war in tho world's history. Compared with tho mighty legions of Europe the whole force ihat this country can send to war is very small, but when the ratios of population are taken into account, tho despatch even of the advance party of 1400 men is equal to the despatch of nearly two army corps by a country with the population of Britain. Tho stirrinj speeches of his Excellency

the Governor, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, and the Leader of the Opposition will awake an enthusiastic echo in the heart of every New Zealander. Our men, his Excellency said, are going upon an enterprise of great and urgent necessity; they arc going to assist Great Britain to enforce her warning to tho world that, in his Excellency's plain words, "wo are not "going to be trodden on." And while tho current of British blood flows strongly, as under Divine Providence it will flow for centuries, in the people of the oversea Empire, the Motherland will have but to lift a fiiifrcr and the deep and steady devotion of her colonies will burst forth into Urn enthusiasm which to-day is blazing wherever tho Flag flies.

Tlie ann'ont delusion 01" one of the schools of English Liberalism, namely, that the colonies of Britain would quick-

Iv becomo alien and that the world would never hear a colonial shilling ring or a colonial rifle fired for tho sake of the Motherland, was destroyed for over (iftcen years ago, when the daughter nations ihrilled tlio world by sending their men thousands of miles over the «eu to fight for tho Crown and tho Empire. The present great crisis has found tho lov«« of tlio Dominions for Britain oven stronger, and their hearts oven warmer, than they wore fifteen years ago. Wo do nob know where our men are going, or whether they will ever return; but we all fool certain that they will welcome danger in the service of the King and his Empire and will acquit themselves, wherever they may be, as Britishers and NW Zealanders should. Tho day will never come when this Dominion will be unwilling or unable to render its share of service and sacrifice in tho cause of Empire and to do its part in' letting the world understand that tho ocean is not a barrier between England and her colonies, but tho high road for her oversea legions to take when she calls. Perhaps by tho time that tho public reads our account of yesterday's farewell scenes in Wellington, the advance party will'have left our shores, and all can join in saying to thorn, in the words which, adapted from -Walt Whitman, appeared on tho eouvenire eont by "The Press" to tho men in South Africa in 1900:—

The moon gives you light; And tho bugrlos and the drums pive you

music-; And our hearts. O'soldiers. O horoes, Our hearts pive you love.