TROOPS TO GO

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1922, Page 5

TROOPS TO GO

NEW ZEALAND FORCE. CONTINGENT PROMISED. PREMIER’S STATEMENT. DUTY TO EMPIRE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Sept. 18. The Prime Minister has issued the following official statement to-day:— The British Government have been in communication with the Government of New Zealand since last Saturday night with regard to the possibility of Turkish aggression in Europe, the protection of British and Allied interests in Constantinople and maintaining the freedom of the Straits by securing firmly the Gallipoli Peninsula, and we have informed Mr. ,Lloyd George, through the Governor-General, confirmed by the full Cabinet this forenoon, that the New Zealand Government wishes to associate itself with the Government of Great Britain in any course of action decided upon and is prepared to send a contingent. Mr. Massey further stated: “I hope even yet that war may be averted, but if peace is to be maintained then the present difficulty has to be faced firmly, promptly and without delay. The Dardanelles must be kept open aud the Turkish forces from Asia must not be allowed to concentrate in Constantinople. I had hoped the British Empire would have recovered from the last war before being called upon to take part in another. We do not want war, but duty comes first. The Empire must be preserved and whatever happens, or whatever becomes necessary, British citizens both in Britain and the overseas Dominions will rise to the occasion when the Empire calls. There is only one answer possible on the part of loyal citizens.” PLENTY OF MEN OFFER. DIVISION COULD BE SENT. FORCE PROBABLY SMALLER. NO DEFINITE PLANS. (By Wire—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. Ministers to-night are not able to throw any new light upon the developments in the Near East. New Zealand has offered to send troops to the Dardanelles, but no definite arrangements for their- organisation and dispatch have been made. The extent of the danger that has to be met is not known. If Russia is going to support Turkey, then Britain and France will have to prepare for another big war. New Zealand, in the meantime, will make ready to send a force of probably something less than a brigade to wherever it is required. More than 1000 men offered in Wellington alone to-day, and the majority of them were veterans. Arms and equipment are plentiful. The Dominion could put a full division into the field at short notice, with every item of equipment complete, but at the moment there is no call for so large an effort. The Government is not making exact plans in the absence of detailed information, and it may hear at any time just what the Imperial authorities think should be done. GENERALS AND PRIVATES. Perhaps a mixed brigade from Australia and New Zealand of, say, 5000 men, will suffice for the duty that has to be undertaken in Gallipoli, but if Turkey and Russia are going to defy Britain and France it will be difficult to see a limit to the effort that may be required. The Minister for Defence has been flooded all day with offers of service from generals down to privates. New Zealand, as on other occasions, was the first of the Dominions to respond to the call of the Empire. The British Government’s cablegram reporting the cris : s and suggesting that Dominion contingents ' should be sent to defend the ground on . which the Anzacs fought in 1915, reached j the Prime Minister of New Zealand on ' Saturday. A meeting of Cabinet was hell at Government House on Saturday evening, and a decision was then reached that enabled Mr. Massey to assure the Imperial Government by cablegram that New Zealand would accept its share of the new burden. The situation was considered by a full ’ meeting of Cabinet this morning, and it i was decided then that the New Zealand Government desired to associate itself with the Government of Great Britain in any course of action decided upon, and was prepared to send a contingent. Volunteers have been told already that married men will not be accepted, except for the commissioned ranks, and that- preference is likely to be given to trained men. The rush of volunteers in Wellington and the other cities to-day is proof that :i strong Expeditionary Force could ba formed nf ex-soldiers in a very short time. ! Sucha force would require comparatively i little training, and would include specialists in all branches. ‘ I believe we could form a division of veterans if we needed it," said an officer to-day. “It would be a division of un equalled fighting quality." The New Zealand Defence Department has plenty of equipment at the present time. The arms and equipment of the New Zealand Division were brought back to the Dominion after the conclusion of peace, and mueh other equipment made available by the Imperial Government was also brought to New Zealand. It has been stated since then that arms and equipment for two divisions were in the hands of the department. OFFERS OF HELP. Among the first offers of assistance io reach the Prime Minister was one from the Legion of Frontiersmen. The Auckland officers of this organisation telegraphed offering to find 300 men and more if required. The Legion would also find a nursing section and field transport, etc. Telegrams were reaching the Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence all today from officers and ex-service men, offciing to join a contingent for the Dardanelles. The messages showed the eagerness of many of the men to get back into

uniform and have another bout with their old enemy the Turk. A formidable force could have been created from the officers and men, who, without waiting for the formal call to arms, announced their readiness to-day to return to active service. The messages did not all come from returned soldiers. Lads who did not get away from school in time to serve with the N.Z.E.F. in the years 1914 to 1918 are keen to take their turn this year if the Empire needs men; and some of them have sent their applications to Ministers as well as to Defence headquarters. Other applications are coining to headquarters through officers commanding units. Young New Zealand is rousing to the first whisper of war. One of the offers of service received by the Minister for Defence was from the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates). Mr. Coates served with the New Zealand infantry in France in 1917 hnd 1918, attained the rank of major, and won the Military Cross with a bar. At least two other members of the New Zealand Parliament have volunteered, one of them being Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South).

YOUNG, SINGLE MEN. GENERAL CHAYTOR’S PREFERENCE. MOST OF STRENGTH INFANTRY. (By Wire.—Our Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor, officer commanding the New Zealand Forces, was asked to-day whether, in the event of a contingent being dispatched from New Zealand, he would prefer seasoned “Diggers" who had seen service in Gallipoli and France or younger men. “It is seven years since our men were 6n Gallipoli,” said Sir Edward Chaytor, “and one may take it that most of the Diggers’ have since married and have families dependent on them. No; I think all things considered, it would be better to have younger men—young, single men between 20 and 30 years of age; certainly none under 20.” “Infantry?” “Yes, I think so. The proportion of mounteds would be small.” “What would be the probable strength of the contingent?” “That is a matter entirely for Cabinet to decide.” “Are you enlisting men?” “No, not yet; we are simply taking the names and war service of those who offer." “Are they keen?” “There would be no difficulty in Raising a force of 7000 or 8000 strong.”

THE SECRET DISPATCH. COPY SENT TO MR. WILFORD. FULL CABINET’S DECISION. Wellington, Last Night. The following is Mr. Massey’s reply to Mr. T. M. Wilford’s request for a copy of the communication received from the Imperial Government: “Dear Sir, —I am in receipt of your letter of this morning, and in reply desire to enclose for your information a copy of a secret telegram received by me from Mr. Lloyd George. The dispatch from the Prime Minister of Great Britain was considered by the full Cabinet this morning, and it was decided to send a reply to the effect that the New Zealand Government desired to associate itself with the Government of Great Britain in any course of action decided upon, and was prepared to send a contingent.—Yours faithfully, W. F. Massey.” It is understood that Mr. Wilford’s letter reached Mr. Massey at 11 o’clock this morning, during the sitting of an important Executive Council meeting. This was followed by a full , Cabinet meeting, at which Mr. Lloyd George’s dispatch was considered in all its aspects, and the Prime Minister’s reply to Mr. Wilford was delivered at the latter’s office at 1 o’clock.