The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL, 6, 1915. MORE TROOPS NEEDED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 254, 6 April 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL, 6, 1915. MORE TROOPS NEEDED.

An agitation in favor of the despatfJi of an additional contingent from N;w Zealand has begun, and appears to have tho support of a considerable body of public opinion. The utterances of the Minister of Defence on the subject soem to indicate that he considers the Dominion is doing enough at tho present time. The original undertaking was fur the despatch of an expeditionary fora of 8000 when occasion might require, New Zealand has sent 15,000 men already, and is supplying reinforcements at the rate of 1000 a month. One is in danger of falling foul of military regulations in discussing this matter, but it may be said without fear of oll'end'mg the censor that both Canada and Australia have sent fewer men, in proportion to population, than New Zealand has done. Some allowance has to be made in the case of Australia, for the Commonwealth fleet, which has played its part in the war by relieving the Imperial authorities from the necessity of sending certain units to the outsi seas. But even then New Zealand's military effort,, up to the end of March, compares very favorably with the performance of Australia. News has com?, this week that the Commonwealth has offered a second expeditionary force, which the Imperial Government has accepted, and this additional contingent, may give Australia tlie lead. Wli'-e New Zealand has failed is in comparison with the magnificent effort made by the Mother Country. Great Britain is bear-

•>g the brunt of the war on behalf of the Empire as a whole, just as she carried nearly the whole of the burden r.f preparation in time of peace. This is an aspect of the situation that is bound to be brought under the notice of the Government when Parliament meets at the end of June. Mr Massey stated the other day that the cost of the first year of war to New Zealand was going to be in the neighborhood of £3,600,000, or roughly ,CII 10s per bead of the population. The Motherland has spent mov-i than £lO per head of her population already. New Zealand lias at the front and in training under 20,000; flrcat Britain's army, if recruited in a similar proportion to population, would contain some 875,000 men, whereas Lord Kitcheners new armies, apart from the regular forces, are understood to minih t more than 2,000,000 at the present time. 1 iien the Mother Country is bearing" lite whole cost of the maintenance of the fleet under war conditions. New Zenl.nid does uot even pay the bills in connection with the battle-cruiser which (lie politicians are so fond of mentioning in proprietary tones. The simple fact of the matter is that we are not doing .'■air si,are. The proper basis of comparison is not what Canada and the Motherland are doing. We hare to look to the heroic efforts of the Motherland for our example, and we ought to take sltame to ourselves for our failure to bc;\:' i.ur full share of the burden of war. Wliv should this wealthy young country i;ot <;<];e a full man's part in the struggle? Tin question seems a pertinent one.

A DKLTCATE POSITION. "lie movement ill favor.of an Tmpnvial Conference lipid in London belV.e iiic I'lid of tins year is placing Mr Massey in a r;itin'!' delicate position. Prdiablj Xew Zealand's Prime Minhf.-jr would like to support the liiglit ilo:i. /indiew Fisliw in advocating a gathering of Imperial statesmen to consider some of the issues which have boon raided by tlic war and to give the world at large a practical demonstration of Imperial unity. The meeting could hardiy fail to have a good ell'ect oven if it failed to transact much definite btwinCHr. Hut Mr Massey cannot well take an active part in the negotiations for a

ference while the fate of Ms Mm'sh'v is still uncertain. If the court proceedings in connection with the- election prtit'ons produce no change in the present strength of parties Mr Massey will hai :■ a majority of two when Parliament ln-'cts. The majority wiir bb reduced to one by the election of a Speaker, anil :l. vuuld disappear altogether if the Prime Minister or one of Ms colleague:! had pone abroad for any purpose. Parliament must be called together at the I of June in order to supply, and ali the members of the Ministry must be in New Zealand at that time unless Iha leader of the Opposition has first bee;] induced to consent to a political am!-.<-toce. Precedent would require that the initial move in that direction should lie made by the Prime Minister, and in the meantime the leader of the Opposition is sitting tight and'"sayi'n' nuffin!" One gathers that if a truce were proposed the Opposition would be disposed to impose terms in the form of'the repeal or suspension of the Legislative Council Act and the enactment- of a sound electoral law, If the Act is not touched this session the Reform party will have a maic rity in the Upper Ilonse for many years to come in spite- of anything that the electors may -do. "Without entering upon these party issues it may be said that Mr Massey's position is difficult beyond the ordinary. The temporary settlement of party differences that the country rlrsives may involve sacrifices on both side*.