CAPTURED GERMAN GUNS.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 July 1919, Page 5

CAPTURED GERMAN GUNS.

LABOUR SECR-ETARY’S FEARS. ‘ ASSURANCE FROM MINISTER. _ ‘ WELLINGTON, July 17. In reply to a letter from Mr H. Pin- i neck, secretary of the Wellington‘ branch of the New Zealand Labour Part)’: Sir James Allen has Written‘ that there has been no waste of money ! i“ bringing out t.o“this country the‘ €fiPl\lrod guns which have recently‘ bee“ ‘“SPI'-‘~yo<l in front of the Town‘ Hell. No freight has been charged for | the Collveyance of the guns, as they re_! placed ballast. ‘ “3_'l.Y answer to your questions,’ " continues Sir James, “is (3) .'t:}m,t met-41 iuas never intended, and cannot be con- ‘ Sid‘-‘l.‘od as an oifset_to the sacrifice,‘ of lives and easua.ltieg 01-money, and‘ (b) that the exhibition of the guns! cannot be taken as an indication of the Government’s determination to insti. tute Prussian militarism, because the‘ Government has no such intention, and‘ never had. It is true that I have my-, self suggested the repliffienrlent of the‘ ‘ old territorial scheme of training,‘ 3 which necessitated a territorial parading at night time for many evenings‘ ‘ during the year, by one camp of train‘ing. of, say, four months’ duration, during which time effective work could ‘be done to produce p'h"ysically-fit citi‘zens and at the same time lay the found-atiiion of an eifective defence force should we ever require to use such. ‘The guns are not here to intimidate lanfione. They ‘are here ‘b"ecause it ‘ was thought they would be of interest .to many New Zealanders. They are ‘not intended. for "ornamental purposes, but, should museums desire to haveiany ‘of them. the Government would be pleased to comply with their wishes. ‘Your members need fear no apprehensions, and I trust. if any existed, they ‘will be removed ‘by my reply.”