DOMINION AND THE WAR.

Taihape Daily Times, 21 November 1917, Page 4

DOMINION AND THE WAR.

MEETING THE EXPENDITURE. NEED FOE PRODUCTION^ Reference to the urgent necessity fog the Dominion to maintain its production to meet war expenditure and to keep up the supply of reinforcements was made by the Prime Minister in the course of a speech on Tuesday at the opening of the Waikato Dairy Company ’s new butter factory* at Taukau. “We are all proud to think that New Zealand is taking such a prominent paijt in the war,” said Mr. ‘ Massel, “but if we are to continue to do our full share it is absolutely nee* essary that production should be maintained. I know it is a difficult proposition with such a large number of the young men of the country away fight- . ing but I believe a great deal more can and should be done than has been' I 'done up to the present. There is no I room in this country for idlers 'hnd there can be none in the future. It has been safd that too many men have been sent away to the war. I ask you to recall the conditions v/hich exist-afi in this country three years ago ancl

to recollect that the demand of the people was that more men and still more men should be sent. The men, to their everlasting honour, be it said, were only too anxious to go (applause): and when the New Zealand Govern* ment could not take them all many hundreds went over to Australia and are now serving in the Australian Forces at the front. When in England I took steps to ascertain how many New Zealanders are serving with the Imperial Forces and was told that they numbered well over 1000. (Applause.) Unable to get to the front quickly enough they had gone Home to enlist. So far as this war is concerned, we are determined that right up to the bitter, end we are going to do our full share whatever the cost may be. (Applause.)’ Wo do not want, however, to send one man more than is necessary to keep our forces properly reinforced. Our first duty is to keep up the supply of men, and our second is to maintain production. The world lias never seen anything nobler or grander than the way the parents of this country and other parts of the Empire have sent their boys to-fight ifcr King and country, for the Empire; andj civilisation. (Applause.) /•;.> • o“The time is coming,continued Mr Massey, ‘ ‘ when we shall havo'To organise more thoroughly to country going. Last November I w*s in France, and I could not help being struck with the fact that a great harvest sufficient to feqd the whole of

French population, was gathered In by the women, old men, and .Boys under 17. It will not come to that in New Zealand, but something approaching it may come to pass 'later on in New Zealand if ,the war ’Britain a vast army of women are ‘engaged in munition work, and on the farms, and I am sure if the women of New Zealand are called upon to take the place of men at the front they will respond to the call as willingly as their sisters across the sea. (Applause.) In maintaining our production we have to think what the position will be when the war ends There will be an enormous debt to pay off and interest and pensions to provide for, and if we are going to get through without serious financial depression the resources of the country will have to be developed to the utmost. Uncultivated lands will have to be made productive and tilled lands must be made to produce more. Should any of our British kinsmen desire to come out to the Dominion to assist us they will be given facilities to do so. Every effort will be made to keep them within the Empire should they desire to grate/ We now require 30 million pounds’ worth of exports to enable us to do our duty in this war. For the first six months we have got IS millions, and we arc looking forward with .confidence to getting the 12 millions required during the next six months. ”