RECOGNITION BY PARLIAMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8209, 5 August 1915, Page 3

RECOGNITION BY PARLIAMENT.

SPEECHES BY PARTY LEADERS. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, August 4. In the House of Representatives today, the lit. Hon. W. I<\ Massey, in accordance with his promise, moved the following resolution:— . "That on this anniversary of the declaration of a righteous war, this House records its inflexible determination to continue to a victorious end the struggle in maintenance of those ideals of liberty and justice, which are the common and sacred cause of the Allies." In doing so, he said that there was no doubt we were face to face with a cruel and unscrupulous foe. We now began to realise we were not. so adequately prepared as we ought to have been. We also realised" that Germany was animated by a deep . and bitter hatred toward England. Germany wanted colonies; she wanted trade; she wanted access to. blue- waters,,, but she realised that so long as Britain remained the great power she was. such expansion was not possible, and thinking the time had come to strike a blow, she striipk it. He was proud ,to say that New ■ Zealand was taking her share, and hoped yet to- do more. He proceeded to trace the development of the movement to. send our contingents to the war. War was,declared on August 4 last year. On August 14 we sent the Samoan contingent iof 1419 men;. on Septembei 16 the main body of 7761 men, and 738 reinforcements, left our shores; in November 1974 men were sent; in February, 1712; in April, 2261; and in June,, 2389; while another batch of reinforcements was about ready to leave. In addition to this,..there were a number of New Zealanders who joined the Imperial Forces. There was also a Maori contingent of 518, and another contingent in training. Two stationary hospitals, totalling 187, had gone, i making our total contribution 19,560 men, fully trained and equipped. In addition to the land forces, we had ' sent the Philomel, whose officers and men had done good work. All the | charges were borne by New Zealand. There were now 6200 more men in camp. New Zealand had bought 800 | horses, and had sent away the best- , equipped hospital ship in the world. A number of medical officers were ready to go with the next contingent, and | we had already sent 170 nurses to the front. With regard to further contributions, it was proposed to send an additional force of two battalions of 2250 men, and additional reinforcements at the rate of 300 per month. He did not apprehend any difficulty in accomplishing this task.

Sir Joseph Ward said he most heartily supported the resolution, because he recognised it not only expressed the sentiment of the House, but of the people of this country.) He was proud of what New Zealand .had ■done as shown in the details given by the Premier; proud of what had been done to meet the nation which had been preparing for 40 years; proud of what had boon accomplished by the forces which had gone from Sister Dominioins,. and because we were I/proud, .wo payed a tribute to those "who had shdwn self-sacrifice arid'gone to the front. The war had brought about an extraordinary evolution in England, and one of the most pleasing features was the wonderful _ way in which the workers had rallied to the call of Mr Lloyd George, when he made clear the shortage of munitions. This loyalty he thought to be one of the greatest factors in breaking down the social .and political barriers which previously existed between the sections of English society. He quoted a speech by the Duke of Westminster to show the effect of the great war was to weld the Empire together. He con eluded by saying he was proud of the fact that the House, by a resolution, showed that though the seas divide the countries of Empire, we wore one in heart, one in sentiment and determination to see the glory of the old land not diminished.

The motion was then put and carried, members rising to their feet and singing the National Anthem.