SIR JOSEPH WARD ON UNITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1696, 10 April 1917, Page 2

SIR JOSEPH WARD ON UNITY.

DEALING with the Imperial problem, Sir Joseph Ward said in London that ; “During' a somewhat similar crisis in the Empire’s history VJO years ago, the great Pitt

declared that ‘not only in this country, hut in every part of! the British Dependencies, the patriotic spirit Inis displayed itself; aml wherever they were placed the subjects of England have shown themselves worthy of the relations by which they are connected with their country.’ The past century has seen vast changes throughout the Empire. Our territory has been enormously expanded, and scattered over the globe is a galaxy of young British nations growing rapidly in population, wealth, and importance, yet animated with the same spirit of loyalty that Pill eulogised a century ago. If this spirit has changed at all, it has been in fervour, for loyalty and unity have become deeper and stronger with the passing of the years. And in this unity lie strength and stability. A famous statesman once declared that ‘nothing would more quickly and more thoroughly weld together the British Empire than a war in which Great Britain and the Dominions would have to light for their existence.' How prophetic were these words! This war has brought the whole Empire together, and the whole of its resources —physical, material, and financial —have been placed at the disposal of the Mother Country. In men alone the Dominions have raised and equipped a million of the flower of their manhood. New Zealand, with a population of about one-seventh of that of Greater London, has placed in the field a larger force than Wellington commanded at Waterloo.”