WHEN PEACE COMES.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1917, Page 6

WHEN PEACE COMES.

WILL SAMOA BE KEPT: NEED OP A POWERFUL NAVY. London, January 30. Sir Joseph Ward was the principal speaker at the annual Corroborcc on Australia Day of the London branch of the Australian Natives' Association, when the Australian and New Zealand military nurses were the guests of honor. The proceedings took place in the -Connauglit Rooms, and were a great success. Introducing himself as ft horn Australian and a young New Zealander Sir Joseph Ward referred to the large number of nurses present, and said they had done magnificently in this war. It was not Australia \and New Zealand alone who were doing their part. There were also the British Tommies, Canadians, South Africans, the Indians and Pacific Islanders, all of whom were going to help, with our Allies, to win this great war to victory. We were passing through a new stage in the world's history. The Empire and its different parts were united as never before, and lie felt sure that the close of the war would see New Zealand and Australia cemented together stronger than they had ever been beEpre.

j. Sir Joseph then went on to say that Australia and New Zealand would never be content with a reversion to the condition of things which existed in prewar days, and if there were people in this country whp thought otherwise they made a supreme mistake. (Applausei. He saw with great regret in that beneficent Note which the Allies sent to the United States, laying down firmly and definitely the conditions that they desired to have in the shap<v-of peace terms —he regretted, he said, to see there was 110 word of reference to those islands in the Pacific which Australia and New Zealand should never give back to the enemy. He noticed, too, the absence of a reference to our kith and kin in Soiith Africa. So far as he was concerned, there should 'be a reversion to Britain, and to Britain only,\of those territories in Africa conquered by the South Africans, and of New Guinea and Samoa. Australia and New Zealand, lie felt sure, South Africa also, would never be content if anything else was allowed to be done. The Oversea Dominions were one in their determination to continue to provide the men and their share of the money to co-operate with this powerful Motherland, which had done during the last eighteen months more than any other country in the world could have done. The men from overseas would continue to support those who were responsible for the direction of afrairs, and they saw with amazement the tinequalled effort which the Old Land had put forth. This centre of the Empire in eighteen months had provided five millions of soldiers, equipped in every possible way, and had shown the world what' England could do. After all these events, the President of the United States dared to N snggost that the Americans ..should be the people to tell us what our peace terms should be. Sir Joseph declared that the men who fought were the ones entitled to have their say at the right time, and when the psychological moment arrived then the great British Government—the greatest Government in the world—would see to it that that victory brought to the Empire a sure peace that would last throughout generations. When that peace was assured then would be the time for responsible men throughout the Empire to help to bring some other system which would take "the place of the present free system. This had done an enormous amount of good in keeping us together, but the future demanded furthgj- measures. Thft Empire would be welded into one under the' flag of power and justice, (Applause).

The/ New Zealand 'Premier was the guest of the Junior Constitutional Club at dinner, when Mr. Rose-Inries, K.C., presided, and other guests included Sir Joseph Ward and Sir Thomas Mackenzie. ,

Replying to the toast of his health, Mr. ifassey expressed the hope that the time was not far distant, when arrangements jyonld bo perfected for bringing the different parts of the Empire into closer and more permanent union. There would be difficulties in the way of the consummation of such a scheme, but they would not be found to be serious if we did not attempt to do too much at once. What was wanted was not a Federation of States, but the drawing closer together of the Mother Country and the young nations ,of the British Empire. Dealing with tlie war, he said that he and Sir Joseph Ward had good reason foi being more optimistic than they were when they arrived in this country, two or three months ago. Sir Joseph Ward responded to tho toast of "The Oversea Dominions," and said he hoped that the men who were to take part in the coming Imperial Conference would see that it was not a mere formal conference; that it did not content itself with settling one or two matters connected with the war and leave everything else to be dealt with after the war. If this conference did not- do something practical and workable, but simply parsed a series of resolutions, and allowed them to remain inoperative for some future time, it would be a fruitless conference. ft must create a system that would enable us as an Empire to stand by one another in peace time as well as in war time; in the economic war that, was to come, as well as in the struggle in which we were now engaged. (Cheers). Above all, it should do something towards creating an Imperial Navy that would not only guard the shores of Britain, but the shores of every Dnniiiron of the Empire—a Navy so powerful that no other country in the world would be able to bear the financial responsibility oE coming within "coo-oe" of it. (Cheers).

. Sir Joseph Ward visited the Brotherhood meeting at the Tirownine Mall, Walworth, on .Sunday, and -aii ? ' Relieved there could be only <■ ti- way in which the peace of.the wo.';, -ultl be perpetuated after the war, a"' -hat was by ri.sht-thinki-.ijt people lie majority of the Great lVv.-r 0) 'e world banding together and 1 ! any one of the Powers which a mp to enter 011 a destructive ecu " t' as they now saw, that they v-n !; uo bine and fight him to the'.dcath T On the night of tile Fiiverio. c plosion Sir Joseph was prasitlinj? ,y, a lecture by Sir diaries Lucas at i- n\ College, under t-hq ausp'.eps of tin- !(r' ti»ll 'Empire Club, When the expi.i ion occurred 11 big window liind the pifittam broke, an 4 there wi\s much speculation 33 tg wjiafc bad hag.

nenert. Sir Joseph calmed all fears, and ■ he lecture was proceeded with. On Tue-ilay Sir Joseph visited Silvertnwn and inspected the damage done. .\c.-.l tiny lu< went to St. lJunstan's r '°-" l ' ,, l 1 when many blind soldiers wera s alert with memorial copies of [l'• ;ke.. ! -eare. On Thursday botli Mr. •_ and Sir Joseph Ward attended ne e.'tui'e at the Royal Society of Arts n Ui? relief of- Belgium, by Mr. Hoover, \9U'l a;< of the American committee.