ASKING FOR MORE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 January 1919, Page 4

ASKING FOR MORE.

Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward are still complaining of the "inadequate representation" of New Zealand at the Peace Conference. By voicing this complaint, which is totally ungrounded, they are placing New Zealand in a false position and making themselves ridiculous. New Zealand, anyone with a sense of fairness and of the fitness of things must admit, has 'been treated generously—one could almost say extravagantly—in this matter. The British Empire has thirteen representatives whilst America has only five; the British Empire ha 3 six votes to America's one. Manifestly in face of this disproportion it would be unfair to ask for another vote, to satisfy, not New Zealand, but the excessive vanity of New Zealand's envoys. The necessity for both to make the trip was never very apparent, and the wisdom of agreeing to their ardent wish to do so is, is the light of their querelous and unbecoming behaviour, now more questionable than ever. They seem to forget that New Zealand, after all, is but a small part o* the Empire, and that the Conference does not want to be loaded with a multiplicity of verbose representatives. New Zealand has one permanent representative at the Conference; in addition she has the right to Ripply the fifth British delegate in rotation with the other Dominions, and to. special representation when the small nations are consulted. Surely New Zealand has no right to ask for further consideration; rather her representatives would be better employed in carefully acknowledging the handsome treatment that has been accorded New Zealand.