NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 170, 8 April 1918, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSE

The Prime Minister, acted wisely in taking advantage of the opportunity afforded him at iChandallah on Friday evening to place before the country clearly and authoritatively the views of the National Government regarding Mr. Lloyd George's appeal for further help in the supreme crisis with which the Empire is faced. Mr. Massey is to be congratulated on the fact that he stated the position as tho Government sees it candidly, without any attempt to gloss, over its seriousness, and_ without any effort to minimise the issues at stake. It is equally to his credit that lie did not hesitate to state frankly and forcibly what he deemed to ho New Zealand's duty. Ho left no room for doubt as to the firm belief of the Government that the situation is one which demands on tho part of the people of Now Zealand tho utmost effort that it lies within their power to make'.

I believo (llr. Massey said) that our duties are more urgent and moro important than ever they were before; and I Tielicvo it is moro important that we should send moro froops in tho next three months than would otherwise have gone than it was in tne first tlireo months of tho war. Each country concerned is responsible for itself. The Government and people cf each country aro responsible for what happens within its own boundaries. Wo citizens of New Zealand are responsible for what happens in New Zealand. And I think wo can look back with a great deal of satisfaction on what New Zealand has dono up to the present time. There is no boast in sayinjr that New Zealand has done its full sfiare. But tnat is no reason why wo should stop there. Our duty undfor tho existing circumstances is to do all that wo are capable of doing. That is what Mr. ILloyd Gcorgo and the leaders in Great Britain aro asking us to do; and that is what the Government of this country is going presently to ask the people of this country to back them up in doing. (Applause.) Tho details ol the Government's proposals have yet to bo. disclosed, but the spirit underlying the Peijik Minister's references to tho needs of the oocasion encourage the belief that whatever steps may be taken will bo on a scale proportionate to our means and the transport available. We are quite in the dark as to what transport .will be forthcoming in the near future, and the situ-; ation in America rather scorns to suggest that for some time to come the shipping resources of the Allies will be fully taxed to transport troops and supplies from America. That, however, remains to be seen. No doubt the reply of the Imperial authorities to the New Zealand Government's proposals for increasing tho strength 1 of the Dominion's forces in the field will throw -the needed light on this phase of the situation. In the meantime it is the duty of all to lend the Government that assistance and support which will ensure that Now Zealand's response to the call which has come from overseas shall be both speedy and adeauate.