FATE OF SAMOA.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 December 1917, Page 4

FATE OF SAMOA.

GERMANY MUST BE ,DEFEATED. STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER. “ We have to keep up our reinforcements and our production, or we will not be able to do our duty in this war,” declared the Prime Minister, in an address at Palmerston. “ I want' to impress you with the fact that if wo do not defeat Germany, then Germany is victorious. We must defeat her by a crushing victory. Take your minds back to the beginning of the war. When we sent those 2,000 men to take possession of Samoa a h t of people thought it was a picnic, and the men themselves went as if it was one. We knew that they were going into tremendous danger. They took possession of Samoa after a risk, I, personally never want, to Ree repeated. This is only an instance. Once we allow Germany’s representative to meet the representatives of the Empire around the council board at any peace conference, the probability is that we shall lose Samoa, and that will also apply to other dominions of the Empire. I hope nothing will ever be considered, that when peace comes it will be a peace worthy of the tremendous sacrifices that have been made—of the blood that has been spilt. If it’s not worthy of the.se things, then we do not want it. We will carry on until a decisive victory comes (Loud applause.) We hate and abhor war, and long for peace, but. there is no alternative. We are not going to allow Germany to dominate the world, and wo must go on until we bring her to her knees. In this country we have had cases of murder and robbery. Where a criminal has been discovered and proved guilty, are we going to say, if lie returns the property, he will go scot free ? (Voices: ‘Never!’) We are not going to do anything of the sort. The crimes Germany has committed during the war are ten million times greater, and what is true in regard to dime is true in regard to Germany. She cannot be allowed to £0 unpunished.”