OUR PART IN THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 68, 13 December 1917, Page 6

OUR PART IN THE WAR

AND OUR BURDEN

EFFORT NEEDED TO PAY OUR WAY

An interesting address, touching our part in the war, was delivered by Sir James Wilson yesterday at the annual dinner of tho Farmers' Distributing Company. Sir James Wilson said that one could not refer to the farming position in New Zealand without touching on tho war, on which our thoughts constantly dwelt. At the present time there was a certain amount of depression felt on account of the Russian debacle. To be depressed was unreasonable, and we should remember that the great German Army of 1914 was stopped by a comparatively small forcc. We should also remember that it was the Navy which protected our trade routes, and wo should reflcct on its great strength. It was rather a pity that we should be at all depressed. We, in Now Zealand, had a particular interest in the Russian debacle because of tho fighting our boys did on Gallipoli. It was Russia who waiited the Dardanelles opened, and Russia was to send troops to certain positions, but those troops were never sent. Greece, also, failed to help us at the Dardanelles. What was going to end tho war? We were in the fourth year of it, and it looked as if this might not be the last. The first way to end the war was to give the Germans a good drubbing. Then there was the economic weapon. There was another way—a revolution by the German people, but that seemed almost as impossible as could bo imagined. Although a great deal was talked about it, it was not likely to come. If the war was not likely to end in tho immediate future, what was going to be the effect on New Zealand? Hitherto the effect lias scarcely been felt. Tho Imperial Government has bought almost all our produco, carried it to England under adversity, and paid us cash for it. Imagine the moment when we would bo unable to ship to England I A serious position in butter arose recently, but here again tho British Government had come to our aid. The time must como when prices would fall, and no one knew what the shipping future was. It might happen that we would soon feel the war moro than ever wo had done yet. We were piling up an irtimense debt. We were spending £100,000 a day, and the sum was increasing. When the Second Division went into camp the increase would be greater still. The interest and sinking fund absorbed £600,000 per annum. After the war the projilem would be serious. If \vo were going to meet all this taxation we must look to a means of doing it. We could never be a manufacturing nation. The only way to meet the obligations was by increased production. Had we arrived at the stage when everyone should be occupied only in essential, service? It was nccessary that the producers should provide wliat was needed. He did not think tho producers wanted to shirk that duty. Farmers had been called unpatriotic for not growing enough wheat, but it was not fair to raise such a cry. As a result of interviews between the southern farmers and the Minister of Agriculture tho Statistician estimated that 290,000 acres had been sown in wheat. Probahly_ that was an over-estimate, but it iudicated how well the farmers had responded to the call. The farmers must do more in the future. We must improve our methods, which were distinctly behind. We must rely largely on electricity, regarding which we were probably the most favoured nation in the world except Sweden. We must prepare for the day when electricity wohld be the great power in New -Zealand. Tho Government had wisely developed tho Lake Coleridgo scheme; he could never understand the opposition to it. We must have a scheme for this part of the country. If we only had a scliemt for the dairy industry, what a boon it would be. Electricity was going to revolutionise the industries. If one compared the cost of electricity with the cost of steam and coal, the gin in favour of electricity was considerable. Certainly we must seek a new motive power. We had not the methods we ought to have and not the science. It was' science, and not tho pioneers (who, of course, had done much), who had made New Zealand. We had only scratched our soil, and wo must go deeper, with the aid of tho scientists and find the truths about it. We must have the men engaged in the essential industries exempted from military service or we would not be able to pay our way. If we were going to meet our engagements we must spend less and do more.' Sir James Wilson moved:— That this meeting of producers recognises that the war has to be brought to a successful conclusion, otherwise the lives of many of our best and bravest will have been sacrificed in vain._ That the financial resources of the Dominion must undergo a severe strain should the war continue for a year or more. That increased production, particularly of our primary products, is essential to enable the country to fulfil its obligations. •, That national efficiency, thrift and economy is the duty call of every loyal citizen. Acknowledging the tenets _ set forth herein, we, in tho nation's interests, pledge ourselves, during the coming year, to uso every possible endeavour to fully dischargo the personal- obligations attaching thereto.

Mr. Ewan Campbell, of Wangnmil, seconded the motion. Ho said that what was needed was organisation. The time was coming when the biggest boys in colleges, and tho girls, would have to go into the country and help to tako the placo of the men who had gone to the war. The end of the war was not in sight, and wo would not be able to pay our way unless our production was greatly increased. Mr. T. Moss supported the motion. If the boys in the trenches could drop all petty' jealousies, surely the farmers at home could take Labour by tho hand and treat it as flesh and blood, and surelv Labour could take the farmers by the hand. All of us must pull together. The resolution mentioned thrift. As one travelled through New Zealand ono was impressed that the Government would haw to do something to brinn home to the people the need for thrift. Tho motion was carried unanimously.