NEW ZEALAND’S RESPONSIBILITY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 11, 14 January 1916, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND’S RESPONSIBILITY.

MANIFESTO BY THE PRIME

MINISTER

* TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW

ZEALAND

It is now close upon eighteen months since the Government of New Zealand, with the full consent and approval of the people of the Dominion, decided to place an expeditionary force at the disposal of the Imperial authorities. In the interval we have despatched over 34,000 troops to the front; we have another 12,000 in training, and stand committed to the despatch of 2.500 men monthly by way of reinforcements. This means that by the end of the current yeai, we shall have sent not les s than 61,000 into the fightig line, no small achievement for a country which has only a population of litfe over a million.

Hitherto we worked upon the voluntary system, and while men are forthcoming in sufficient numbers to fulfil the engagements which New Zealand has made with the Imperial Authorities, there is no desire on the Government’s part to depart lom that system. At the same time it is desirable that, particularly, every sing’o man of military age '.and fitness, and possessing the minimum of responsibility should be induced to do what, under existing circumstances, is his obvious duty. I make, therefore, no apology for an appeal to the manhood of the Dominion, especially as arrangements are"now being made to bring our new recruiting scheme into operation. We are all preud of the magnificent response that has already been made to the Empire’s call for men to do battle in the cause of justice and liberty, and for th e de'iverance of the oppressed. But the effort which loyalty and patriotism demands us new is greater than was at one time anticipated, and requires that we should put every ounce of eneimy we possess into the scale against Germ any.

the need is for men, more MEN, AND STILL MORE MEN.

The call comes to every man in this country, who is in a position to do so, to prepare to take his place in the fighting line. The cry comes to u s from our sons, brothers, and kinsmen in the trenches, “Come over and help us.” It rings through every note of the official despatches; it is echoed by the sick, the wounded, and by the men who have returned, invalided, from the front. The graves of Gallipoli appeal to us silently, yet eloquently, that the sacrifices maide there, and the heroic lives laid down on that shellswept peninsula, shall not have pggn given in vain. No man worthy of the name can remain deaf to such appeals. The Empire needs the faithful and devoted services of all its citizens, if it is to prove victorious in the stupendous task to which it hag set its hand. Never in all its glorious history has it called upon its people in vain, shall we fail it now? The Motherland which has made many sacrifices on our behalf .appeals to her son s across the seas for their 'assistance and co-operation. Zeppelin raids, coastal bombardments, and the grim race of submarines have familiarised her with the horrors of a warfare we have so far happily escaped, and which we too should experience but for the protection the British Fleet affords us. It is our duty, hay more, our privilege to go to her help.

NEW ZEALAND PRUSSIANS. In certain quarters, of late,, we Lave heard talk of the Prussians of New Zealand; only in one way is it possible to Prussianise New Zealand, and that is by allowing the , enemy to become victorious. If, by apathy and indifference, we fail iu our duty and so make conquest an easy matter for our adversaries, the responsibility will rest upon those who have declined to accept the privileges and duties of citizenship, chief amongst which is the defence of the country. Self preservation, a care for our homes, and the sanction of family life, apart altogether from love of country, alike demand that we should be on the alert to repel the foe and to defend the Empire on the fields of battle where the decisive blows must be struck that will bring either victory or defeat to the opposing forces, and which will decide our destiny, together with that of the Empire with which our fate is inseparably connected.

GERMANY PLANS OF CONQUEST which, have b.een unfolded before the eye s of an astonished word since the war began, included the annexation of the British Overseas Dominions, also of Egypt and probably India. We need, therefore, be under no illusions a & to our fate if the Central European Powers prove victorious. The German Eagle would replace the Union Jacdc and the New Zealand fag in. these southern seas. The bans would simply enter upon and despoil the coun-

try, and German autocracy, backed up by Krupps’ guns, would take the lace of our free institutions, and democracy, as we know, would perish under Prussian rule, and it w-ould hAi come a crime the Englisbr language. a leading Berlin paper told us, with tire approval of the German official world, that mankind needs German methods and must make use of them for their special preservation. And, has not the Berlin Deutsche Tages Zeitung declared that we must also accept the blessing of the Gorman tongue on all men, it arrogantly writes, net those belonging to the more cultured races only,’ but on men of all nationalities and colours. The German language acts as a blessing which .coining direct from' the hand of God, sinks into the heart like a precious balm. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. English, the journal proceeds, the bastard tongue of the canting island pirates, must he spilt from the place it has usurped, and forced back into the remotest corners of BVitain until it has returned to its original elements of an insignificant pirate dialect. The dangers w e have to guard against are very real, but if w-e are true to ourselves, true to the traditions of our race, and faithful stewards of the s||| cred heritage committed to us by ouiT forefathers, w r e need not fear the result. Only by disunion, disloyalty, and halfheartedness, can the victory pass from cur grasp. We New Zealanders pride ourselves most of all

upon our loyalty to our Empire, our country, anq cur flag. We have made sacrifices on their behalf, but the call is for greater sacrifices still. We are proud to think that tens of thousands of New Zealand’s sons came to take up arms on behalf of the Empire, and ' that her heroic daughters have wil- - lingly braved the peri s of the battlefield and to offer service in strange lands in order to minister to the suffering and to succour the wounded. DUTY AND HONOUR. Duty calls us to battle on behalf of the right; .failure to defeat the damnable doctrine that “might is* right” will land the world into' the abysmal depths cf savagery. Honour demands that we should make sacrifices for the good of our fellow men, for the protection of our women and children, and for the sanctity of our home life. Belgium, crushed, torn, cruelly violated, wickedly betrayed, as surely ate no other country ha s ever been mm fore, and as no other country shall be despoiled again, if the men of our Empire are true to the traditions of their race. Belgium and other martyr nations appeal to us for succour and sympathy. We need not wait to have ,the whole record of Germany’s infamies scientifically proved to realise Vhe call of duty here. BVitish people will never, forget the sinking of the Y'Lusitania,” the “Arabic” and the '“Persia,” the drowning of our nurses, murder of Miss Cayell, and the other atrocities proved to u s by the inquiries which have taken place* and from which civilisation shrinks in horror.

FOR BRITAIN’S SAKE we have sent our sons, our brothers, and our kinsmen to the war, for her sake and for our own protection, and for the safety and happiness of our women folk and children, we must continue to reinforce them, and to strengthen their hands in every possible way. We must fight on until a durable peace < e becomes possible; and the sword must not be sheathed until Belgium’s wrongs have been righted; until Russia, Poland'and Serbia are again freed from the the oppressor, and until ample gtfH ' antees 'are available for the safety of the smaller nationalities. The call is >stil Ifor volunteers. Many who read this appeal should enlist right away. Duty reminds them of their obligations; ;from the trenches their comrades call to them; the cry of “to the front” ring s more and more loudly. What are you going to do about it, men in New Zealand? We must keep the Germans out of Old England, and out of New Zealand, and out of every other .British possession. What is wanted now is the spirit of the Lancashire man, of whom I read recently. His two sons had gone to the front, and word came that the younger had been killed. The father was not content, 'although he was considerably above military age, until he was able to take hi s boy’s place. And one day he found himself in the fighting line by his eldest son's side “somewhere in France.” Gripping his boy by the hand the father said, “I’ve come to take Andy’s place. When word came about thy brother, thy mother had me come to thee, and I’d be ashamed if I failed to do suinmat to bosches out of Old England, and we’ve got to do it lad, for the sake of thy mother and thy sisters.” In keeping the bosches out of British territory we shall save civilisation, we shall save the Empire and shall

be in a better position to efficiently assist our era rant Allies, and redeem Delcin-n, Poland and Serbia. It is our r’* ;, iloge to act to-day a duty de-

■ed or neglected may cause us life--15 tribulation and anguish of mind. us then act in the living present, jry man 'able to bear arms is needat thejjfcnt. F. Massey, Primp3linr, and Chairman of trd. >