OPPOSITION LEADER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2483, 21 September 1922, Page 4

OPPOSITION LEADER.

MR MASSEY SUPPLIES INFORMATION. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. M. Wilford) wrote yesterday to the Prime Minister as follows: —“Sir, —I notice by this morning’s paper that you have received a communication from the Imperial Government regarding the developments m the Near East. I also notice that, according to cablegrams, Mr Mackenzie King, tho Prime Minister of Canada, was informed of the London announcement that Britain intended to ask Canada to send a contingent to the Near East. I have also seen by cablegram from Melbourne, dated September 17, that no information was available regarding the Federal Government’s attitude to the Imperial Government’s invitation to tho Dominions to send contingents to the Dardanelles. In view of these cablegrams, I would ask if you will be good enough to allow me, as Leader of His Majesty’s Opposition, to have a copy of any communication received from the Imperial Government regarding the dispatch of any -contingent from these shores, so that I may have an opportunity of placing the same before my executive at once, as this matter cannot in any way be deemed a party one.” This letter reached the Prime Minister’s office about 11 a.m. The Executive was then meeting, but the Prime Minister’s reply was delivered at Mr Wilford’s office about two hours later. In the meantime, Mr Wilford had handed a copy of his letter to tho evening paper in Wellington. Mr Massey’s reply was as follows 1 ‘Dear Sir, —I am in receipt of your letter of this morning, and in reply I desire to enclose for your information a copy of the secret telegram received by me from Mr Lloyd George. The dispatch from the Prime Minister of Great Britain was considered in full Cabinet this morning, and it was decided to send a reply to the effect that tho New Zealand Government desired to associate itself with the Government of Great Britain in any course of action decided upon, and was prepared to send a contingent.—Yours faithfully. (Sgd.) W. F. Massey, Prime Minister.”

THE NEW ZEALAND FORCE. Considerable speculation is being indulged in in military circles us to the probable size of the Expeditionary Force to be sent by New Zealand. In wellinformed quarters it is considered that nothing less than an infantry brigade with complementary troops would be of any use, and that such att estimate of the force to be offered will be found well within the murk (says the Wellington Post). As an infantry brigade comprises 4062 officers and other ranks, it is estimated that with complementary artillery and other units and first reinforcements, New Zealand will be asked to supply a contingent of approximately 5000 men. The size of the force, however, depends upon the nature of tho task it is allotted. If it. is intended for garrison purposes on Gallipoli only, it may be that half this force will prove sufficient, and that Australia and Canada may be asked to make up the total strength of the colonial forces on Gallipoli to a full division of approximately 21,000 officers and men. The above figures are regarded as a modest estimate, and so far as New Zealand is concerned, as being well within her capacity as compared with what she was asked to do during the late war. Fite Main Body, which sailed from Wellington on 15th October, 1914. comprised, with First Reinforcements, 8499 officers and men. It was nui.de up of one mounted rifles brigade plus an extra mounted rifles regiment, one infantry brigade, one field artillery brigade, and provisional engineers, signallers, supply, and transport units, medical units and services and departments. The actual strength of the units of the Main Body was 7761 officers and other ranks, and of the First Reinforcements which accompanied it 738 officers and other ranks. The total number of men sent overseas bv New Zealand during tho Great War was 100,444.

REFUGEES FROM ASIA MINOR. TERRIBLE SCENES IN SMYRNA. ATHENS, Sept. 17. British ships and many small sailing craft arc continually arriving, crowded with refugees from Asia Minor. Tt is estimated that there are 200,000 people now homeless in Smyrna alone. Greek and Armenian refugees insist that the fires were due to the Kemalists using benzine and petrol bombs. They say the scenes at Smyrna beggar description, and that bodies of mutilated men. women and children are lying in the streets. All the churches are ablaze and thousands of refugees were caught inside. The newspapers state that no French subjects were molested by the Kemalists. A Greek warship has wirelessed that when the Turks set fire to the town of Vurla, they murdered nearly all the Greek and Armenian inhabitants.—A. and N.Z. cable. SMYRNA STILL BLAZING. RUINED FOR MANY DECADES. SEVERAL BRITISH FORTUNES LOST. LONDON. Sept. 18. Mr Ward Price cables from C'lianak: “Smyrna is blazing ns violently as ever. The Turkish army took no serious part in the massacre; which was almost entirely the work of the lowest classes. Tin Consulates. cathedrals, hotels, clubs and the principal shops ha vc been burned down. It is estimated that stocks wm-tli ±14.000.000 were burned during the first 24 hours. The finding centre of Smyrna has been ruined for decades Many British fortunes have been lost.” —A. and N.Z. cable. FRENCH PRESS OPINIONS. BRITISH POLICY CONDEMNED. PARIS, Sept. 17. The press almost unanimously condemns the British policy, declaring bitterly that Britain has persistently opposed French military action against Germany and now seeks to draw the Allies into -a conflict to force Turkey to respect the treaty. Le Journal des Debats, on the contrary, supports Britain’s attitude and upbraids its contemporaries, adding: “Let us support the British policy when it supports our interests. The Anzacs are proving that they arc one with their Mother Country over a question which affects their honour and civilisation in general.”—A. and N.Z. cable. MORE SNIPING IN BELFAST. TWO MEN SHOT DEAD. LONDON, Sept. 17. Snipers shot two men dead in Belfast streets on Sunday afternoon and also seriously wounded a boy aged 15 years.— A. and N.Z. cable.