THE WAR LOAN.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 March 1918, Page 6

THE WAR LOAN.

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S OPTIMISM

Members of the Wellington Commrecial Travellers’ and Warehousemen’s Association assembled in large numbers during the lunch hour on Tuesday to-listen to an address by the Minister of Finance on the subject of the War Loan of £9,500,000. Sir Joseph Ward expressed -his high ! appreciation of what the association had done in connection with the flotation of the former loan. Speaking of the west front fight, he said the mowing down by the British and Allied troops had been of a most extraordinary character. We had to be prepared for fluctuations in connection with this gigantic struggle. None of them would be craven-hearted if fluctuations took place in such a tremendous | struggle. We in far-distant New Zealand could see the stupendous importance of the present engagement. It was believed that the Germans regarded it as their great final effort. He paid a high tribute toi the courage of our soldiers, both those who had gone, and who were going, and added that If there were any people in New Zealand who believed we were doing more than we ought to do, could there be any greater ocular demonstration than the cables were giving them in the daily press as to what was transpiring on the Continent at the present time of the necessity of the preparation of vast numbers? If we were not .able to hold our own at this juncture, in all probability we would either be dominated by the enemy or in for a long war. The Allies were fighting with comparatively few men, the rest being held in reserve,, the result being that in some cases our men were outnumbered by 12 to 1. The Minister concluded by urging that New Zealand’s part was to provide the silver bullets, and it was the duty of all New Zeaanders who could not fight with a rifle to do so by subscribing to the Liberty War Loan.