Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 26th, 1917. SEEING IT THROUGH.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THURSDAY, JULY 26th, 1917. SEEING IT THROUGH.

The suggestion made in somo quarters that New Zealand has dono its sham in the war, or even more than its share, and that-, therefore, there is good reason t° slacken off the Dominion effort, has not found any degree of general support. Although some gentlemen nominally influential in certain walks of life have championed t!:® cause, of tapering off, tho general body of opinion is clearly against such a suggestion. The Second Division Coni>rence has made it clear that itb mem>> ers aro resolved to help see tho wh» through to the bitter end, hut ask, and rightly so, for that fair conidfation for themselves and family wh’ch tho country they aro going to save Inis every right to pay. The pris must necessarily be great. If it were m<> uy alone New bealand as part of tho Empire would he prepared to pay untold millions to escape the heel of the Him. But money can not do everything, ai*« is cannot on this occasion buy off ir,e ertmy. But money can pa-* the foi our manhood t° fiho l'der inn* .'<ml n arch forward to meet ;nd .-onimr the enemy who unless vanquished, on tho field of battle, will rom.i i, i danger to our nationhood. Th- ; a ill j’ duty

is- thus very straight md t , "he country has got to sco the war t’-r-n.'ii in company with tho i <>t c. t h» F’t - [ire. Perhaps, in the past, figures show that, relatively, «-• have done iother more than our share tr. help win the war. That is all the more to our credit, or ratlmr ‘ to the eternal t-redit of those who hare made the personal sacrifice. Would not)' they and we have it so, rather than it should be said of New Zealand, as it can be said of other colonies, that the country has fallen short of its duty ? A thousand times, yes! That being so the Government, have a duty to tho fallen, to the maimed and the rick, and above all to the men still holding on, to seo that after the great sacrifice which has been mad* that at such a. juncture we shall not so fan tout, our men now holding on will bo compelled to slacken their hold or shorten the front,- and 60 let in the enemy. To see it through is the duty of the Government. When in the course in next week the people ore called togeth-

or to, mi*Tr the pledge of fidelity to the 'Empire, ond again assert their irrevocable determination to see the war through for the third time, that occasion will be a fitting time to call on the Government to see that the fullest adequate provision is mndo for the men going on service, and for the otyen** ents of those loft behind or who might fall by the way.' At the outset of the war Mr Massey spiritedly pledged the Inst man and the last shilling to wm the war. His Government has passed the necessary legislation to take the last man. Lot him see to it that tb® same thing is done to appropriate the last shilling for the benfit of those tho last man leaves behind. By this action he will assure the fulfilment of his promise, and will not break his pledge to those who are bent on seeing tbe war through. .