OUR WAR EFFORTS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2739, 6 April 1916, Page 6

OUR WAR EFFORTS

STATEMENT BY HON; J. ALLEN

WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED

By Telegraph—Press Association. Milton, April 5.

The Hou. Jas. Allen addressed his . constituents at Milton to-night. The address dealt cliieily with the Govern- ! ment recruiting schemes and tlie neces- 1 sity for using every effort to bring the war to a successful issue. War was de- > clared on August o, 1914, and on the < noxt day wo wore asked to send forces to Samoa. These forces were ready to move on August 11 —five days afterwards—all equipped thoroughly. Samoa was occupied on 'August 29 —that was in 23 days frqrn the time tlie Government got notice that It was wanted to send forces to Samoa the place was occupied by New Zealand troops. Now the preparation which led the Dominion to do that and the energy put into it .must not be' lost.. What wo had gained wo must hold for tho Empire, hut the Empire could only hold it by winning the war. We did not know what might happen in regard to Samoa, but wo New Zealanders were firmly convinced that it should not remain under German rule. Wo had been malting provision for it to come under British rule —wo hoped wider New Zealand —and had been planting our feet pretty firmly; Mere. We found it with Gorman currency, and had changed that currency to British. German notes had been all collected and had been sold. We had British gold for them at comp:untively small loss. All their Eold and silver had also been collected. Their gold had been sold without any loss; their I silver we still held—it was in England. Trade had been largoly in German hands, and we were doing our best to bring it into British hands, and most important steps had been taken in that direction. Tho great German company thero had been.liquidated, and: it behoved New' Zealand to see that it took its placo in providing for the trade and interests of Samoa which would arise owing to tho liquidation of that great company. We had established friendlv relations with-the natives. We New Zealanders thought that the natives would be hapnier. more prosperous, and more free under British rnlo than under German rule. Was that all to be lost? It woukl.be lost if we did not win tho war, and that was another reason, why our men should be kept up to strength.. Prisoners of War In New Zealand. Perhaps it would be'of interest to know that since. the. beginning of the war 60 prisoners of war \ had been brought to New Zealand from Samoa. At the present tinni, including the'sixty named, there were 243 prisoners of war on Somes Island, and 66 in Auckland. It was unnecessary to say anything about_ the*, splendid work done by the New Zealand army nursing service, nor need he refer to the cordial organisa- ' tion and splendid work done by medical officers. He did not think enough liad been said about the great services rendered to New Zealand and to: our troops by the chaplains and lied Cross. Mr. Allen proceeded to refer to the good work done by the 1'.a1.U.A., tho Salvation Army, and others, and dealt at 1 length, with the organisation of the dental 1 service, and or the patriotic way in which the New Zealand Rental Association had assisted both recruits aiid men ivho wished to enlist. Cost of Trentham and Featherston ; Camps. > The cost of the construction of Trentham Gamp frbm_ the date of inception, together witli incidental expenditure, amounted to £210,000, and featherston Camp to £145,000. ■ The average cost of '. running these camps, salaries of training staifs, pay of headquarters, clerks, staffs of permaneut supply depots, pay of medical orderlies, • tZjj rationing of permanent camp staff, civilian cooks, fuel; eto. (but not the rationing of troops undergoing training) amounted to £1442 ' a week at Featherston, and £1465 at Trentham. , ' ;We had expended on equipment of the Expeditionary forces to date close on £1,000,000, and tho approximate total expenditure on war expenses account was nearly £8,700,000. Wo did not want to throw that money away. We were in with the Empire to help' the weak as against the strong, to uphold justice and right, to maintain our ' own freedom and independence, and , to protect our country, homes, women, [ and children. We would spend money willingly for that great purpose, but we must' win. Main Thing Is to Find Men. The main thing was to find men: He made no comparisons between what New Zealand had done and other parts of the Empire, but it permitted him to say that what we had so far accomplished had been to a very considerable extent due to the preparation that had ' been made beforehand. Our Territor- ' ial system, short, though its existence had bepji, and our previous' volunteer experience, had aided'so materially in carrying out what •we had already accomplished that we were in a position to occupy Samoa at such short notice, and had been enabled to send away from New Zealand close on 40,000 men armed and equipped (or most of them, at any rate). Since the end of 1912, 30,000 rifles had been secured for this country and supplies were assured for the future.. The Recruiting Scheme. The Minister dwelt at length upon the recruiting scheme, urging a hearty co-operation as the National Register showed that there was a sufficient supply of eligible men for some time, and further because in the event of compulsion bein'g necessary a complete roll was essential. It was the duty of every man and woman to see that every eligible man was registered.