The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. TUESDAY. OCTOBER. 19. 1915 NEW ZEALAND DEBENTURES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 October 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. TUESDAY. OCTOBER. 19. 1915 NEW ZEALAND DEBENTURES.

The offer of VStatu debentures (bearing 'U per cent) made by fclie New Zealund_ Government, is one that should meet with the whole-hearted support ol every wage earner in the Dominion. As low a sum as £-3 will bp accepted under the scheme, and thus it follows that an excellent opportunity is afforded to every frugal person in the community to help (in small measure j>t least) tlie efforts of the dominion vo lighten in .-ome slight degree the gigantic financial burden now tailing upon Great Britain. The case for the rasing the loan locally was put well by the Colonial Treasurer (Sir Joseph Ward) in the course of an interview' with a New Zealand Times representative this week. The Colonial Treasurer said:—

~To ail intents and purpotios this u as much a war loan as it would be .1' it it were raised directly by the equipment of armies and the provision <u munitions. The Mother Country n.is undertaken to provide the money f he dominions require tor their military operations—a matter oi some live or six millions in the ease of .New Zealand aione lor the current year—hut with the' enormous demands beinj£ made jm her in every direction we cannot in reason or decency expect her to finance our local expenditure a<> well, in

normal times we should have gone

London lor this money. J3ut the conditions to-day are not normal, and i'. behoves us as patriotic citizens ol the empire to. shoulder this burden ourselves, so that our work ol development .ma production, which 18 of more 'importance than ever to tlie nation in tlio present- crisis shall go on with s little interruption as possible. The maintenance ' and expansion of industries, trade, and commerce are scarcely oi less consequence than the supply of men in the present terrible struggle, and i am sure that people who realise tins taCt will not hesitate to assist in supplying what are essentially and in a very special sense the sinews of war.

"There & no need to say anytlimg about the loan as a means oi investment. it will particularly appeal ;o the small investor in this respect. There are 110 alarming formalities to be observed, no delays, no risks, .10 commissions to be.paid. The. interest is good, the security the best in the world, the time of repayment practically at the option ol the investor. His debenture will always be saleable at its face value, and probably at a premium.

".But I would rather appeal to tihe sentiment of the small capitalist than to his business instincts. Many of as are unable to go to the war. Age ; physical disability, domestic responsibilities, all of them, or any of them, may tie us to our homes; but 'lere we have, an, opportunity to do the next best thing—to help on. to the utmost of our means, tho sacred oauso for which the whole Empire is fighting, to remind our kith and kin at the front that we are ready to do our part without stint and to demonstrate to our enemies that no difficulties and no sufferings, no opposition, however formidable it may be, can weaken our resolution nor lessen our enthusiasm.

"It may seem unnecessary for Ne*v Zealand to make repeated displays ol its loyaJty. Here we all knew so well how deeply it is ingrained in !-be rery life and being of the peopS thu

even its expression may appear as<»P'ifluity. But our enemies, wlio miss no opportunity for the invention of low lies, of the circulation of fresh slanders, nre watching us as closely as ever loday, with the 6ame malign purpose as tliey started the war, and would delight in any excuse for the repetition of their infamous misrepresentations. 1 want to see the people of the Dominion, every man and'woman, and even every child, joining in a united effort to send to them the answer which has been flung hack by our country men at the battle front and in the trenches. We nil can hurl the silver bullet, according to our financial ability., .Let us do it now."