"IT IS OUR FIGHT!"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 240, 19 March 1915, Page 4

"IT IS OUR FIGHT!"

WE WILL SEE IT THROUGH.

NEW ZEALAND DOES lIS DUTY-

WAR COSTS £300,000. MONTHLY,

AND WILL COST MORE.

SPEECH BY THE PRIME. MINISTER

By Telegraph.—Press Assodfetion. Wellington, last night. The Prime Minister was the guest of theNcw Zealand Club to-day, when in the course of his remarks, Mr Mas' sey said lie did not think that in. tho years to eomo New Zealandors woulfl have reason to be ashamed of. the pari the Dominion had takon: in the pre* sent crisis. New Zealand was acountry, with a small population, " buft we offered to do our best, and: we bar*' done it," he declared amid applausti

FIRST IN THE FIELD.

We were the first of the Dominions to get our troops away, and our soldiers were the very first to take possession of foreign territory. I mean Samoa." (.Applause.) "'And as have begun so we propose to go on."

KEEP UP OUR EXPORTS.

Mr Massey went on to emphasise tftr necessity for keeping up the volume of our exports during the present crisis, and added that he expected New Zealand would, during the current season, send away five million pounds' worth of frozen meat. Unfortunately, for th»first time in the history of New Zealand there had been a shortage of oats and cereals. As a matter of fact, in Aew Zealand it was not necessary for the farmer to grow wheat, as other crops were more payable, and until th« farmer cssld be induced to sow a larg« area in wheat the shortage now hAi>g. experienced would recur annually, with a corresponding increase in the prict of (lour.

THE WORST OVER;

He believed that farmers in New Zealand were sufficiently patriotic to grow wheat. It had become an Imperial necessityj and he believed that this wa* the last of the " short" seasons for many years to come. He also 'believe® that the worst was over, as far as the present season was concerned: At the present time wheat was worth 6s M a bushel in New Zealand, but would soon cost 8s to land here. 'New Soutß Wales had a surplus, therefore that State was not a lit subject of comparison, l>nt ho would point out that in Melbourne wheat was from 8s 3d to 8s 4d a bushel, and 8s Bd in Tasmania, so that we in New Zealand had not much to complain of. He would' like to add that the duty on wheat would not be reiinposed until' wc liad' a surplus.

WHEAT FOE IMPERIAL PURPOSES,

Referring to the new arrangement urn* der which all meat exported is consigned to the Imperial authorities, Mr Massey said that everything was workingsmoothly. There' had not been a singl* hitch in the operations. Dealing with other matters, Mr Massey referred to the steps the Government is taking to assist the kauri guia industry, and the improved prospects of the flax industry. As to the timber industry, the Gov-, ernment had done all it possibly could to assist it. A very large number of workers' homes was being erected, and some £l2 000 or £15,000 was goingto be expended in constructing huts at. Trentham camp.

ARE WE DOING ENOUGH!

I He also spoke of the splendid response' New Zealand had made to the appeal for relief for the Belgians, and for othei patriotic purposes. As to Wew Zest* land's war expenditure, he eaitf if amounted to about £300,000 per month'j or £3,000,000 a year, " and it will ba more," lie declared. "We hare to fao«' it. Ido not think it is too much. 1 doubt if we are doing enough. Per' sonally i I would like to do more-, and if the Imperial authorities would indicate some direction in whicli wg can do more I am quite sure the Government and the people of New Zealand wouM he glad to accede to the request." ('Ant plausc.)

"It is our fight/' he concluded. "W» have to see it through, and do everything we possibly cm, whether the Im-> perial authorities ask it or apt, t| ensure what I honestly believe will ha an honourable peace, a peace that will last for a long time to come." (Loud cheers.)