ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2960, 26 December 1916, Page 7

ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?

- Sir,—Even though. Germany is puttins forth peace proposals, she is making, colossal preparations for war. She is preparing ;to put every man on the field : next spring; she is storing ammunition and cpUecting food. Now, when rejecting her terms we must do something to. show our determination to win — ; we, in New Zealand, must do some■thing;. •, We. are too much inclined' to sit down aiid pat ourselves on the back and point to our splendid division in FranceYj.and pride ourselves thnfc jvo can easily keep up a supply of roinforcements. But, when wo come, to think of it, is one division enough Y At tho beginning of this year Great Britain had 90 divisions from a popular lion of 46 millions. Surely New Zealand, with a population of a little ovor one million, could raise two divisions and keep them up to full strength? Now comes the question: Where are we going to get the. other division from? Our Cabinet Ministers aro telling us that we have dispatched 60,000 men to the seat of war. Our division numbers about 18,000, our casualties are about the same, and this leaves a surplus of 24,000 men, enough to .'form r a second division and 6000 to spare. What it would mean would be the doubling of the reinforcement drafts which would necessitate tho calling up of the'second division of ..rMcrvists in five months instead of ten. But what of'that! It you Id show England that New Zealand was prepared to help the Old Country with all her resources. It would more than counter the yyral effect of Australia's vote if New Zealand were to double her field force.—l am, etc., ' . . . .BYSTANDER. ' Taranaki.