THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT. New Zealand Once More to the Front.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 77, 21 December 1901, Page 8

THE EIGHTH CONTINGENT. New Zealand Once More to the Front.

WHENEVER the emergency anses, Mr Seddon rises gamely to meet it And, like most men of bold initiative and resolute will, he intuitively takes the very course that the slower operation of public opinion stamps with its approval His promptitude m deciding upon offering the Imperial Government an Eighth Contingent, and fixing its strength at the unusually high number of one thousand men, is a very forcible case m point It certainly has arrested the attention of the world The London "Times" says that in relation to New Zealand's population, "it is a wonderful instance of patriotism. ' • • • ' The "Times" is quite right But it is something more than an instance of patriotism. It zs a complete and crushing reply to those cheap German sneers that Great Britain's colonies were a broken reed m time of war, and that in the present campaign their ardour cooled as soon as they found it was no mere nursery campaign These foreign critics, with whom the wish was father to the thought, have not even the pool - est pretence of suggesting that King Dick has made a party move by offering an Eighth Contingent, and that there is a divided opinion m New Zealand on the subject • » * On the contrary, there is an unanimity that is as remarkable as it is welcome and refreshing The messages of inquiry that weie sent out by the Premier to members of both Houses evoked a response which makes it evident that there is no room m the heart of the colony for party considerations when the keynote of national patriotism is struck All other distinctions vanish. Only one thing is thought of the Empire needs our help Shall we proffer it before it is asked ? » ♦ * The action of New Zealand in this matter is a pregnant object-lesson to those parish politicians at Home, who give the enemy cause to rejoice by abusing the Army, condemning the war, and urging peace at any price, m order to weaken and harass and

sap the popularity of the Government Mr Seddon has sharpened the point of that object lesson and dnven it homo, by the opinion cxpiessed in his message to the Goveinoi that additional tioops would not now be required "had all statesmen and parties in the United Kingdom been guided by love of countiy and patriotism * # # As the London pi ess points out, it is a scathing rebuke to anti-patri-ots ' And also, we should say, to all Little Englanders who would measuie Impenal questions and interests by the petty yardstick of party or private advantage The Piemier mterpiets aright the feeling of our people, and of our troops in. particulai. when he suggests that the New Zealand Contingents should be brigaded together, and used as a solid regiment, instead of being split up into small details, to the destruction of their esprit de corps It is by stimulating this emulative spirit that the Imperial Government will most surely intensify the patriotism of the various colonies, and secure from them the most effective help in time of trouble. * * • In his speech at the Canterbury banquet, Mr. Seddon referred to the War Office in very plain English He told them "they must not snub the colonies ' It is wholesome advice although very brusquely expressed We gladly send our soldiers to fight for the flag, and, while we expect them to submit cheerfully to strict military discipline, neithei New Zealand, nor any other self-governing colony, will remain passive if treatment such as was meted out to Trooper Tasker, foi being overcome by weariness on duty, and to the Victorians who were sentenced to death for resenting a general's abusive language, is practised They expect to be at least informed, if not consulted, before extreme steps are taken m regard to their soldiers * • • Howevei, that is by the way. The significant fact is that the heart of the colony goes forth with this Eighth Contingent It is an earnest of our determination to accept the fullest measure of our Imperial responsibilities And. although Mr Barton, the Federal Premier, does not see his way to act as Mr. Seddon has done at this juncture, there is abundant evidence that the feeling of our Australian fellow-colo-nists is in thorough accord with New Zealand in this matter They are just as readv to dare and die for the flag as we are, only Mr Barton seems to be of much slower impulses and less ardent mettle than King Dick, whose value to the Imperial Government in times of stress and trial ought to be worth a dukedom at lea,st