THE LIBERTY LOAN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3180, 3 September 1917, Page 6

THE LIBERTY LOAN

FINAL APPEALS, BY PRIME MINISTER AND FINANCE MINISTER The following final appeal has been circulated by Sir Joseph AVard for subscriptions to tho War Loan.iT-"Fellow-citizens, —On this tho last day for subscribing to the largest und most important loan ever raised by New Zealand, I make a final appeal to the peoplo of our Dominion for their whole-hearted and practical assistance.

"Wero the life of some dear one dependent upon our money, which of us would hesitate a moment-, to spend our last pound, or to incur futuro liability in order to avert the calamity? Which of us would see a loved mother or wife or child suffer or di" and continue to hoard up tho gold .. hich would savo them? How much more, then, should we spare neither effort, nor money, nor the pledging of property, 'to hasten the coming victory, and so curtail tr. _ fiie utmost of our power the further sacrifice of tho lives of our beloved and noble fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons, who are enduring the consequences of the fearful conflict now raging. "Should fhey fail through lack of our' support theer is a far worse fate awaiting us than sickness or death. Remember Belgium! Remember the Lusitania! Remember Nurse Cavell! Remember the murdered women and babes of England! Is any sacrifice of money adequate to ward off such inexpressible horrors ? It is not alone our possessions that we must preserve. It is our f;ecdom: That those we hold most dear should never be ground under tho iron heel of the barbarous conquerors of Belgium. Whether you ran lend .£l, ~610, a ,£IOOO or even .£IO,OOO, I urge you to lend it in tho same spirit in which you would part with every earthly possession to save your dear ones and ycur country. "You cannot affcrrd to wait until our Army is in want. You cannot afford to wait until tho enemy is at our gates. Now is the time to act. Let the amount be ever so small, it is needed In this great hour of our national trial. The total of many small sums will reach millions The 'loan will officially close at five p.m. to-day. Sufficient grace will be given to enable societies, companies, and trustees to complete their arrangements after the legislation has been pa«sed by Parliament legalising their action. "I wish everyone to personally participate in this great effort to finance our troops to victory. Ther/i. Is no cause greater than freedom, and we must all be' nrepared to pay the price, however great. "(Sgd.) JOSEPH GEORGE WARD." PRIME MINISTER'S APPEAL "A STERN AND BOTTNDEN DUTY CONFRONTS US." Tho following appeal has bean mado by tho Bight Hon. W. P. Massey, Prime Minister:-— 1 To tho citizens of New Zealand: Fellow-citizens,—l wish to endorse most warmly the several appeals which tiio Minister.of Finance has made tq you on behalf of tho Liberty War Loan. Tho three prime necessities of the war are: men, munitions, and money. We have found the first in tho 75,000 soldiers who cheerfully offered themselves for semoe at the front, and in the thousands of others who aro loyally responding to the call of duty. It is now .our business and duty to see that'the men who are fighting for us aro adequately provided for; that tho necessary food supplies, clothing, equipment, and munitions aro forthcoming on their behalf. That all means .money, more money, and still mote money; the war cannot go on without it, and the money required must bo raised from amongst--ourselves. To help tho Motherland and our Allies most effectually, wo must be self-reliaut, resourceful, and independent. Britain lias already raised nearly five thousand millions sterling for the purposes of the war, ar.d right-thinking citizens agreo that it would not only bo improper, but extremely unfair on our part, were we to look to her for the money we can, and should, obtain from our own citizens. Our duty in this matter is clear. We must make it our business to provide the necessary sinews of war for the requirements of the men we have sent, and aro sending to the front, so that the success of their operations may be in no wise impaired by any lack of effort on our part. Such failure on our part would undo much of the work onr gallant

troops have already accomplished. We cannot, "must not, and will not fail them. Money is now our first, most vital, anil all-pressing consideration. . Without it the war cannot go on. ' The twenty-four millions required to cover our war expenditure'during the next twelve months must bo forthcoming. Granted that the task is one of great magnitude, it is no greater than that faced by our kinsmen in Great Britain last year, when tliey subscribed the magnificent total of one thousand million sterling for their Victory War Loan. On the per capita hasis our loan is about equal to that effort. We should be ablo, to better it. It seemed a great thing when wa asked our people for eight millions last year. But we got it with three millions to Gpare. Now that we are oalled upon to n-ako this greater effort. I am confident that tho response will be equally effectual, if our citizens individually recognise their responsibility in. the matter. I have faith enough to believe that the twelve millions we are aslcing for in this loan will he subscribed,, and that •'he balance will bo forthcoming when required. But, to ensure success, there must be no holding back. On the part of every citizen there must be the clear recognition of his paramount duly in tho present crisis. Everyone must contribute out of his or her means, be they small or great. And the terms on which tho loan is offered are such that no hardship is involved, even if the investor has to borrow the money to make good his holding. If ever there was a case in which men were justified in pledging their personal credit to help on a good cause, it is found in this Liberty War Loan. , • What if contributing to the War Loan does involve some self-denial or sacrifice oil the part of the citizen? Can any sacrifice the stay-at-homes make even begin to coinparo with tho euhliine heroism and self-sacrifice of those of our fellofr-citizens who have gone forth to the war on our behalf, esteeming not their lives dear unto themselves, if, happily, thoy may preserve for us who remain security and peace, freedom of conscience, and-that Independence of speech and thought which we havo ever enjoyed under the British Flag. We thinfc sadly, yet proudly, of the gallant lads, dear to us as sons and brothers, and of those of maturer years—husbands anil fathers—who havo made the supreme sQcrifice 111 defence of our Empire and country, so that in years to come we may live ill peace, freed from the world menace ever linown in the annals of civilisation. Our hearts are moved with lovo and compassion for those who have suffered under the cruel privations of the war, and who are maimed and crippled tn-day because they fought our bullies. But a stern and bounden duty confronts us. We know that unless the militaristic snirit of Prussia is crushed and extinguished by defeat, overwhelming and conclusive in its effect, Gerninnv will hut close this war to prepare for the next. Tho white crosses which mark the Inst onrtlilv resting-nlaces of the heroes who fell at Galljpoli and in Egypt, at Tiers and Jfessines, and on other of the battlefields of Europe, appeal to lis mutely, hut none the less elonnentiy. to see that the lives thus sacrificed shall not jinve been snent in vain. It is our duty, not only to the living but to the dead, to carry on ffa war. We must continue the struggle in the interests- of civilisation and humanity. Tf we all hear a hand in the business, we shall once again demonstrate to the world the earnestness with which New inlanders stand unitedly toiet.hor in battling for King, conntrv. and Empire. (Signed) W. F. MASSEY, Prime Minister.