The Dominion. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1915 CAN NEW ZEALAND HELP?

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2560, 7 September 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1915 CAN NEW ZEALAND HELP?

Britain's munition problem has r.ofc yet been-Solvcd, though the great energy with which Mr. Lloyd 'George has tackled it has resulted in an enormous improvement in the position. But the supply of workers still falls short of tnc demand... A cablegram which appcu'ed in yeKtcr: day's Dominion stated that the problem continues urgent. It is feared that the labour available will be insufficient when the new factories open unless trade, union roati'ictionß ■*#4 wiassck lUc of such, .vital lin^

portance that our armies should have everything they need in the way of munitions of war that wo in New Zealand dare not leave r.nything undone which we can c'.o, however small it may be, to ensure that tho quantity shall be ample. The rccont Russian set-back shows how the tide of war can be turned by superiority of gun po.ver, and the tremendous bombardment now proceeding in tho Western theatre is a further illustration of the need for enormous supplies. It is quite impossible to overrate the urgency of this question. If Britain has not enough munition workers to keep her factories going at full speed it is tho imperative duty of the Overseas Dominions to do what they can to assist to make good the deficiency. Workers have already gone from Canada, Australia, and South Africa, and' the question naturally arises: Can New Zealand help 1 The matter was brought under the notice of the Defence Minister in April last. Mr. Allen then stated that if we had any number of men 'hoie who were competent tradesmen in the manufacture of war material ho believed it would be rendering a great service to the' Mother Country to send them Home. ! He promised to make inquiries in order to ascertain the views of the Imperial authorities. The exact position does not appear to have been explained, and no definite action has so far been taken. Yet the call for munition workers is still- urgent. There must be many" hundreds of suitable men in New Zealand employed in various metal and engineering industries. The exact position should.be ascertained at once both as regards the requirements and the number of suitable men that could be sent from this Dominion. Lord Lansdowne, in the course of a striking speech on the National Registration Bill, declared that "every member of the community should bear not merely a part in the national task, but that part which he is best qiialified to undertake. " This applies not only'to Britain, but to the whole Empire. by the statement "of the Hon. A. M. Myers, which will bo found in another column, New Zealand can render more efficient help by sending workers to England than by attempting to manufacture shells and other munitions here.