The Round Table.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 4, 16 April 1915, Page 3

The Round Table.

NEW ZEALAND’S SHARE IN THE WAR.

The object of the publication is explained in the preface, which is as follows : “Those who are unable to undertake military duties during the war can yet render a great service to the Empire by facing and thinking out certain practical * quest ; ons relating to Defence and Foreign Policy. “ I will be found that many of these questions are covered or raised by the single question,

“What share are we in New Zealand to bear of the general burden of the war ?” '“We undoubtedly desire to bear our fair share of the cost, however large that share may be. The problem is to find a sound, practical means of settling how the cost is to be shared. A basis of agreement will have to be found with the other self-govern-ing parts of the Empire. It wiil then be necessary to decide upon the relative ability of the different parts to bear a share. The question of sharing with the other Dominions and with the United Kingdom in the cost of the war will inevitably raise the question of our sharing with them the future cost of Defence and Foreign Policy. That, in its turn, will naturally raise the question of our sharing with them the responsibility for all decisions involving peace or war, that is to Say, the general responsibility of maintaining the existence of the Ernpije as a whole.

New Zealand’s' immediate desire is to contribute to the war her fair share of men. Precisely the same questions as are mentioned above arise, however, upon any attempt to find a sound, practical means of settling how the numbers-e-required now and hereafter —are to be apportioned between New Zea-. land and the other self governing parts of the Empire. "In considering these problems, it is essential always to remember that the existence of the Empire gives “peace and the opportunity of self-develop-ment to one-quarter, of the human race.” The stupendous responsibility” for this at present rests solely upon our fellowcitizens in the British Isles. No doubt all these questions involve great difficulties, but it will only be by consideration and discussion that we can ascertain exactly what are the difficulties, and what are the issues actually involved.' “As a contribution to the consideration and discussion of the pressing problems of Empire, it lias been decided to reprint from the “ Round Table ” a number of passages dealing with such problems.

“ Our self respect wiil spur 11s to great effort when we recall the fact that we in New Zealand, before the war, were paying about 11s a head for defence, while the British taxpayer was paying over four times as much. “With the interest on the “debt incurred in building up “ the Empire ( which the Dom- “ inions do not share in any “ way), he is indeed paying “ mote than £2 10s per head of “ the population; and his “country, long weighted with “ this burden, stands in greater “ need than any Dominion of “of liberal expenditure on “[social reform ” Great Britain is no longer “ able to maintain a preponder- “ ant navy on all the chief “ oceans of the globe and unity “ in foreign policy and defence, “ which has been the funda- “ mental basis of the external “ policy of the Empire hitherto i “ is gradually being impaired. ’’ ‘ The truth is that the safety “ of the, imperial system cannot “be maintained much longer “by the arrangements which “ exist at present.”