ESTABLISHED 1566. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1915. AN IMPERIAL COUNCIL OF WAR.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 255, 27 October 1915, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1566. The Marlborough Express. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1915. AN IMPERIAL COUNCIL OF WAR.

it has not yet-been formally nounced that Mr Massey, and .with hmlr Joseph Ward, will proceed to &.n ,very sh(.rtly;,but we. believe; weare correct in-stating; that one. or , totli of the gentlemen named will beKre very long be on their wav,-to •Jingland, tkeie to take part m ?*■»£- penal Council ot War, in vhich Mr Andrew Fisher, tnd repwyntafewß rf .Oanada, South Africa, and Indw wul confer en equal terms with he British Prime Minister and the Ministers for War tnd Foreign Affairs, Lqid Kitchener and Sir Edward Grey; One ■jcuson why'Mr Mossey has not^ yet signified his acquiescence m the request preferred by die J m P™ £kv<rnment is, we have for telie.ving, that the^nme Mim.-t^i h anxious, before he leaves for London, to be completely assured as _to the safely of depending1 iipon the ■ voluntary system *t present ml orce for obtaining recruit?, and to be con-, vinced that the element of compulsion- may not. jet hare to .be vaira-^ dueed. Mr Mawey's anxiety on this point is only natural, for were.ittobe found absolutely necessary that New Zealand should witness the introduction of the compulsory principle, then it is tissily compiehensifcle that the head of 'the National Government would deem it his first duty to remain in the Dominion until the 'altered system were well v.nder way. .We do not like to think, however, than a, sufficient number of recruits wil; not vet ,-ome forward to assure the regular j despatch of such reinforcements as are j required to maintain the New Zealand force?' at the front at their lull strength, and although there was n period when the slackness in recruit-; ing mi^ht have given i cause lor anxiety on this, head, we believe that i the yorng men of the country are I now beginning to wake up.^n real j earnest to the dangers and -difficulties ahead of State, and will come lor- j ward in the requisite numbers. . It is -most desirable that the .Prime Minister, accompanied, if possible, by the Minister for Finance, should proceed to London as requested by the Imperial authorities. It is impossible to keep completely in touch with the exigencies of the position ,by means of cable communications, however frequent and however lengthy ;uul detailed these may be. Personal conference between the heads of the Imperial Government and the Prime Ministers of the Oversea Dominions is more than desirable: it may be regarded sis absolutely necessary if many awkward and yet urgently important problems connected with the, war are to. be efficiently dealt with.'1 It is well known that the visit to London of Sir Robert Borden. the Prime Minister of Canada, and his being admitted to the full confidence of the Imperial Government upon the conduct of the war, has been productive of distinctly practical good in convincing the Canadian Parliament .and people that the Oversea Dominions are just as much interested in the *ar, and in that complete defeat of the enemy which alone can secure, the safety of every part of the Empire, as are the people of Great Britain. Mr Massey's visit to London would broaden and deepen his grasp of Triiperial affairs and of the part this Dominion must bo prepared to play therein, and for many other reasons upon which it is vnnpcessary to-day to sio into details such a visit is eminent.lv desirable.

Wo believe, too, that wore the

'Piimp Minister accompanied to London by Sir Joseph Ward, an additional practical benefit to tin's country would ersue. The financial future has, we all know, been greatly and gravely affected by the war. New York, rather than London, is, it would seem, at present at least, destined to be the world's ."nture financial eerire, Mid eventually this may brm:>; about jnany alterations in our methods oft juof-viing loan ricrey. By pra-.eedin."; }• to London Sir Joseph Ward, whilst f able to supplement;, the opinions ex- ! pressed by the Prime Minister on | various questions of Imperial importance which liave arisen cut of the war, would bo a!-le to confer personal! - with the leading lights of the London ! ftr.nncial world as to future possibili- • ties and probabilities in the Tiritish i ir.cney market, in which New Zealand | would probably be deeply interested. |

■6noo the recruiting problem is disposed of there should be nothing to prevent the Prime Minister and hi* Miristw for Finance from temporarily absenting themselves from the country. We are not. as ft ?"!£> jh favor of Ministers ..-isiting ■Is.flgkhcl too often—that is, of course, in ttmee» n»t pence. But ■these AYe not time*- ot peace, but of .Vai, Oircumstsuitps alter cases, and the circumstances which require., ~.r,d even, as we think, fairly demand, the presence ot the 'Prime Minister in London are very i>ravo indeed otherwise, we may be certain, the imperial Government wculd not liavfe »ade its special request. Mr M.feM'y van surely trust Mr Allen, frr, McNab, antt other capable -at?a <e*peiienced Ministers vhoiu he would leave behind him, to carry -Mi the work of administering the Vft'aii-s of the country with industry, care, and ability. The coim■tiy nould as a whole, applaud the Prime Minister's acquiescence in the Imperial Government's request, and: there would' be/ Simple time, if Mr j Massey, accompanied, as we hope, by \ the Minister for Finance, proceeds to London without much delay, for both gentlemen "io be'back again in the Dominion for next session. Some talk there has been of calling: Parliament together :for q, short session before, the Ministers leave. We scarcely see the neces&ity .for sneh a course, but even should such necessity exist there should be no difficulty in holding a short session of>* week; or even a tortnight, and allowing Ministers to get away on their trip by the end of next month or early in 3>ecember. Members were not so overworked last .sessicn that ;;he<r should grumble at being called. to AVellington for a few clays , We hope to hear before many days are o\er that the recruiting c>imculty has entirely disappeared, and that, the only.; obstacle being thus removed, the Prime-Minister may announce his intention- of acceding to >he request of the Imperial Government without delay And if he can arrange for Sir Joseph Ward to accompany him to London, so much the better.. .•-.-■■