CHURCH PARADE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2682, 31 January 1916, Page 6

CHURCH PARADE

BY THE NATIONAL RESERVE ADDRESS BY THE PREMIER

By order of the officer commanding Group No. 5, a church parade of tho New Zealand National Reserve was held last night. Companies and units to the number of about two hundred and twenty assembled in Whitmoro Stieet at 6.30 p.m., and marched by way of Lambton Quay and AYillis Street to Everybody's Theatre in Manners Street, where a servico was conducted by chaplains of the Reserve in connection with the Wellington Methodist Central Mission. Major Firth was in command of the parade, and Colonel Porter, the Officer Commanding the Reserve, was also present. There was a largo attendance at Everybody's Theatre, including many members of the women's branch of the National Reserve, for whom seats had been reserved in the dross circle. Also amon" the audience was a party of Frenchmen who are passengers by the s.s. Maitai. During the evening speeches were delivered by ChaplainMajor G. Knowles-Smith and by the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey (who is honorary colonel of No. 1 Regiment of the National Reserve). Chaplain-Major Van Stavereu and Chaplain-Major D. C. Bates also took part in. the service. Tho ! musical programme was contributed to by the Silver Mission Band (under I Bandmaster Baker), the Mission choir and, orchestra, Mr. Hamilton Hodges (solo), Private Gledhill (trombone solo), I and Mr. Courtenay V. Mohr (solo). Mr. W. W. Crawford recited a patriotic poem composed by Miss Hume, of Duat edtn.

The War and the Individual. The Rev. G. luiowles-Smith spoke oil the subject, "Imperial Citizenship— its Privileges and Responsibilities." Ho said that out of the great European cataclysm with all its horrors and barbarities there had emerged clearly and distinctly the predominant British trait of love and loyalty to tlie Empire and the throne. This trait was the admiration and the wonder of the world "-staggering because they did not understand it was the outbreaking of a fi-co people- Thero must be some factor determining this loyalty of a- united people who were prepared- to sacrifice material things, even life itself, for tho Empire and the King. The German people had fostered the worship of the fetisli of Kaiserism and a belief in militarism. Every German soldier had become part of the great machine and had lost his individuality. Britain, on tlie other hand, had been striking off every fetter which liad bound her. 1 In Germany officialdom governed tho I people; in Britain the people governed officialdom. German education, German nationalism brought to tho last issue ,was purely and simply materialistic selfishness, while our British education, at least in some measure, glowed witli the spiritual and tho divino. With

such a war of ideals there was bound to come a clash of arms. This war had been forced upon Britain against her will, but if she had stood aloof she would have been untrue to the ideals she possessed. What, now, is our personal individual relationship to this war? We had to bear in mind all the blessings we now enjoyed, and which only the English ideals had made possible. It was a question of British freedom or German "kultur." Every man who stood aside at the hour of the nation's peril had a right neither to the name of Britisher or-Christian. To the man who said, "Because "I believe in a reign of uuiversal peace I cannot enter into the conflict," he replied: "Because I hold the isame belief I am forced into it." If Germany triumphed, it would put back the clock of universal peace for more than a century. The natioA which possessed 6uch pagan conceptions of morality must go down if the world was to have peace and prosperity. Every individual must face liis responsibility. Personally he had! faced the situation, and he was .only awaiting tho call of the president of I tho conference to don the King's uniform and proceed to the front to sue-1 cour and support our soldiers on the battlefield. He was also proud to wear the badge of the National Reserve. Every man and woman must play their part. Ho knew the sacrifice and heartacho which every mother must feel as her boy went forth, knowing not whether ho would return. He knew the anxious hours of waiting, but it must bo done. Every single man of military age should legister himself for military service. Every youth too voun" and every man too old or with family ties whicii kept him should wear the National Reserve badge. Every man and every woman must play tholy part, or elso bo traitors to their national ideals.

To the Workers, Proceeding, he said that to tlie workers he would state that they could not Tetard .the progress of the- ideals they had been fighting for so long more th'an bv shielding themselves behind sr.me conception of inequality and refusing to take their place. such man was a traitor. If they came under the despotism of Gormnny the freedom of the British workers—that freedom for which they had fought so long—would bo swamped, and they would be left whore the German worker was the mere slave of his conditions and' surroundings. But there was a greater traitor. AYas it possible? There were men who were increasing their personal wealth by the artificial raising of the prices of the commodities of life? The man who did so was a "renter traitor still to our national life, J3ut the greatest traitor of nil man who would destroy, the sol-

['tier's efficiency by supplying him with drink. Olio soldier, in walking from Lambton Station to his (the speaker's) residence had been asked no fewer than fifteen times by civilians to "Come and have a drink." The wan who thus sought to entice these young fellows to the riiiu of their usefulness as soldiers was the greatest traitor of them all. To the Leader of the Government, who was present that evening, he said that the whole of New Zealand had been behind him when he pledged his word that her sons would fight side by side for the Empire. He did not believe any measures of conscription would be necessary. At the same time we must deal justly with our soldiers. Hake it impossible for a man to fill his own pockets at the expense of his fellow-work-ers at a time like this. Wounded soldiers and widows and children should have the money. "And stop this drinking," further appealed the speaker. "If necessary lock all the places up. start at Bellamy's, and when you have stopped it there you can go to the cities. Let example go with precept, and we will follow. What and when the end shall bo who can toll? But if we aro true to our principles and the righteous ideals of our nation, Gorman despotism will be shattered to rise no more, and out of the ruins of this terrible war a new nation and a new people, with nobler ideals, will arise."

Speech by the Prime Minister. Mr. Massey said he had attended simply as an honorary officer, of the National Reserve, and with no intention of nuking a speech. He joined in tho welcome Mr. Knowles-Smith had extended to the representatives of their Allies, the French, who were with them that evening. It was his hope and belief that France and Britain would remain Allies for all time, not only for their own good, but for the good of the world. He was glad to see that the National Reserve in Wellington was prosperous and active. -In Wellington it had done particularly good work. It had been an influence for good; it had encouraged patriotism and loyalty, and it had pointed the way to the front to many young men who otherwise would not have enlisted. There was plenty of scope for the Reserve. The end of tho war was still a long way oft, and patriotic citizens had much to do, and they would welcome the assistance of tho National Reserve in enabling New Zealand to do its lull duty' to the Empire in tho crisis. Although he did not think the war would end for a long time, we had no reason to bo pessimistic. We had every reason to be optimistic. When things went wrong we were inclined to forget what had been done, the successes that had been gained, and to lose sight of the fact that Britain was stronger than she was two years ago. With the breach of Belgium's neutrality, Britain had to join in the war, as otherwise she would have lest her. self-respect and forfeited the esteem of other nations. Britain, indeed, had never played a nobler part. He trusted that the war would go on until tho wrongs done to Belgium had been righted, until Germany had been punished for her misdeeds, and a glorious peace with honour wae possible. We had still much to do, but wo had reason to be proud of what had been done. Gallipoli would be a household word so long as the Empire lasted. On

the slopes of Gallipoli thousands of the best and bravest troops born under the Southern Cross slept their last sleep. Gallipoli would remain a household word becauso of the memories it would revive of deeds of bravery unsurpassed in the annals of British warfare. Let them not imagine in Now Zealand that the wealthy people had not been called upon to pay their share of the cost. Thoy,sometimes forgot what happened last session, when they asked for two millions per annum, and so adjusted taxation, placing it on the shoulders best able to bear it, so thatit had hardly been felt by the people of the country. If they wanted more thqy were goir.g to get it, and ho believed' that they would get it without any trouble in the same way that they got the two millions. Ho believed that everyone was willing to do his share in the struggle. in which the Empire was at present involved. Bellamy's he might say in reply to a remark by the previous speaker, was controlled by the majority of legislators, and the majority must rule. The Government of the country was prepared to do its duty in any direction where it was required. Wherever its duty was plain and clear, whatevor might happen the duty of the Government would be done. He would like to seo those special National lieserve services held every month. He believed they would do a large amouut of good, arid he would gladly avail himself of tlio opportunity of attending them. The National Reserve, he hoped . would continue their useful service until I the end of the war.