LETTERS TO THE EDITOR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2525, 28 July 1915, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

"EVERY AVAILABLE MAN." Sir, —May I be permitted space in your columns to voice what may seom at the present time an unpopular opinion, i.e., that tho Minister of Defence and his colleagues know more about the duties of their office than can a body of "representative citizens." To clamour for "more men," without stating ,liow tho country is to finance the undertaking is to leave, out a very important factor which must- bo considered; and to compel the Minister to explain, "if not, why not" is to publish information of service to tho enemy. New Zealand is a small country of limited resources, and dependent upon her own credit. She has'neither the wealthy classes nor the tremendous resources of the Motherland. , The people who consider that all available men (including even the National Reserve) should bo utilised as the Germans are using their troops should surely be ready .to show how the finances of the country would bear the withdrawal of the'staple.portion of the male population from all work and wageearning. It must be borne in mind that' tho greater the age of the men drartn upon, the larger the death rate among them is likely to be from all causes, the more dependents they are likely to leave, and the greater the loss of their earning power in the community. : How, then, would the State face such a situation and remain solvent? By all means let us do our share as a part of the Empire, but do not let us throw discretion to the winds in urging our, statesmen to enter into obligations which 1 , are'not, so far, contemplated in the-Mother Country (which should surely take: the lead). We shall not. help the. Empire by becoming bankrupt, and it seems evident that if the Empire cannot- be saved without such headlong measures on the part of an insignificant portion of it, then surely the Empire is doomed, which no one can believe possible.! Cau we ■•'not; trust the Government to do all that can be done without interfering?—l am, etc.. . ■: , SCOT.