The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1918. THE DEFENCE MINISTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1918, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1918. THE DEFENCE MINISTER.

Though none of the Ministerial positions have been sinecures during the war, there can bo little doubt that the hard-est-worked Minister has been Sir James Allen, who had to place the Defence Department on a war fooling, and carry out the administrative duties, which have been increasing by leaps and bounds. At first considerable dissatisfaction existed in regard to the Defence Minister's work. A good many blunders were made by inefficient officials, whom the Minister defended, and for a time it appeared as if the necessary changes and improvements could only be brought about by Sir James's resignation. The Minister wisely divested himself of the portfolio of education. The most bitter of his opponents will now freely acknowledge that Sir James has "made good'' in circumstances of unprecedented trial and difficulty. Sir .Tames has a firmness of character seldom seen in the New Zealand politician. Some will describe the quality as bordering on stubbornness, and to it attribute his loyalty to officers who were utterly undeserving, and who brought his administration into disrepute in 1!I15 and yet it can be seen now that to carry out the Military Service Act, which called upon the manhood of the country, however and wherever it was placed, to enter the fighting lists required a man who had these qualities, together with courage, judgment and sympathy. Mistakes there have been hundreds of them —but they have been relatively small. In the great things that have helped us to play such a splendid part in the war there has been no mistake. Our forces have always been kept at full establishment, with ample reinforcements, thoroughly trained and! found. This is no small achievement for a country like New Zealand, especially When is considered the pressure that was applied from all directions by Well-meaning, but timid, people to ''reduce reinforcements," and concentrate, instead, on growing foodstuffs for the armies. Sir James always turned his ear to these appeals, and showed a determination to do his duty by New Zealand and the Empire, though, perhaps, no one felt more than he did the draining of the country's manhood and the calling up of the married men and the consequent breaking-up of so many homes. This resolute attitude did much to strengthen the people's will to "see it through" to the bitter end, and his services in this respect will be better appreciated later when New Zealand's part in the war is seen in its proper perspective. Sir James Allen will also be given full credit for his work in connection with the pensions and financial assistance to dependents. Though various people and organisations take credit for instituting the pensions scheme, the fact remains that Sir James Allen adopted and improved it, and placed it on the Statute Book. It is a piece of legislation of which the Dominion may well feel proud. In itself the scheme is tangible proof of the Minister's sympathy for-the injured soldier, or the soldier's dependents, and his desire to see the fullest justice done. The financial assistance scheme is not so perfect, but the more liberal and "humanising" administration shown during the present year has practically reiiovcd any cause for complaint. Tho more important scheme is pensions, for that is permanent (at any rate, for the present generation), while the other disappears with the return of our men—now, fortunately, a possibility of the immediate future. We have in the past had occasion to differ greatly from Sir James Allen, but we must give him credit for having vindicated his department and himself, and rendered a service to A T cw Zealand, at a time of the greatest crisis and difficulty, which it would be hard to overestimate. In doing so, it is known, he has sacrificed his own health, for which reason he is not likely to remain in public life much longer—a fact which will be genuinely regretted' by all New Zealanders, of whatever political views.