The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 24. THE DOMINION'S DUTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 July 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 24. THE DOMINION'S DUTY.

Ministers and members of Parliament have been of late weakening and wobbling a good deal about maintaining our reinforcements at the present level. Sir Joseph Ward was the first to show his hano. "The only thing," he said, "that passes through my mind is that we will have to consider how much further this country can go in sending men at all. This country has done remarkably well, better than any of the other Overseas Dominions, and the time will come when it may not 'be possible to let any more mei go." Then Mr. Massey followed—it was at a deputation in Wellington on Friday—to the effect that General Robertson had appealed to him personally to supply more men. "There was trouble brewing in Russia, and the outlook was bad. . . 'Bui, we shall have to take into consideration something of what Sir Joseph Ward has mentioned." Since then the Ministers have performed what may be regarded as a volto face on the subject, and are now busily engaged in assuring New Zealand that whatever happens the reinforcements must be kept up, the Prime Minister saying at Dannevirke on Thursday: "Do not let there be any mistake about it. New Zealand is going to act up to ,the pledge given at the commencement

of the war." Now, what tlie public are asking for, and have a perfect right to ask for, is a clear and frank statement from the '.Ministers as to what has 'been promised the Old Country. As far as the public have been told, our promise to the Imperial authorities was to maintain a force of approximately ten thousand men. Instead of a brigade we are maintaining a division, and have formed fin extra brigadb out of accumulated reinforcements. From the Defence Minister's statement we have sent 'away and have in training about BG.OOO men; there have been 26,000 casualties, leaving 60,000 men to represent the main body of 10,000, or six times our guarantee to the Home authorities. Now, the point is, docs the Old Country, now that Russia has made good again and America and Greece are taking a hand in the war, require us to denude the Dominion of all its militarily fit men, or can New Zealand better serve the interests of the great cause by ■producing food to the utmost of its ability? That is the question, and one that may have been in the mind of the Prime Minister when he' remarked the other day that he would be glad to receive word from Home that the reinforcements could be reduced. There is a pretty considerable feeling in .Parliament that the Government should not denude the country entirely of its virile manhood, and that when we have given ten per cent, of our population, as we will by the end of the present year, we will' have done our duty. There can be no doubt that the draining of men is going to have a serious efllect upon 'the production and stability of tho Dominion. In our view, however, our duty is clear. If the Home authorities require us to continue our present reinforcements we are in honor bound to do so, and make whatever sacrifices are entailed —and they will be considerable, unless the Government gets a move on and conscripts and organises labor. What other parts of the Empire are doing does not in any way affect our obligations; we must go on sending men until the war is won. For the honor and future of New Zealand we cannot "quit"; we must light on with all our power and ability. New Zealand, however, must also do its duty by the men who have gone and are going and their dependents. It has never done so yet, and, we are afraid, will not do so until the hands of the Government are forced. Our soldiers are entitled to the most generous treatment by the country, and should be accorded it without demur.