HOARDING GOLD.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15157, 22 December 1914, Page 10

HOARDING GOLD.

TO THK EDITOR OK "THB PRESS." g; r —Speaking in the Bii.ish House of Commons, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said: "1 think it is vital that it should be made clear to any individual and to the nation at large, that any man who, at the present juncture sefrishly hoards gold, is inflicting a great 'injury to tho nation. In this tremendous struggle, finance is going to p'.ay a great part. It will be one of tho niost formidable weapons in this exhausting war. and anyone who. 'or selfish motives or greed, or through excessive caution and cowardice, goes out of his way to attempt to withdraw sums of gold, and to appropriate them to his own use, let it he clearly understood, that he is assisting the enemies of his native land, and he is assisting them more effectively probably than if ho were to take up arms.' . Now. as the New Zealand Government has guaranteed the private banknotes and made them legal tender, all tho of this country can be carried on until the end of the war, by moans of credits or deposits and cheques, bank-notes and bills of exchange, without tho use of a single sovereign or half-sovereign. Why then should the "proprietors" of private banks be allowed to assist the enemies of tie British Empire by appropriating and hoarding up five or six millions of our gold, when it is badly wanted in F.iig'.iitid r Gold is "one of the most formidable weajxins of war." The Imperial German war chest last December 31st, was only £9,700.0f)0. ("Banners' Magazine," March, 1914.) 1 need add nothing to the words of the British Chancellor of the Exchequer 1 But how can the Government and Parliament of New Zealand answer them? — Yours, etc. J. MILES VERRALL. Swannanoa, Dec. 19th, 1914. RETALIATION. TO THE EDITOR OF ''TUX PRESS." Sir, —se.i-pienervation is tno first law of Aacure, ana anyone kunng another to save his own iiie, tho verdict is "justiiiab.e homicide." Tho German motto is 'Wiight is Right"; but 1 am proud to tnink that the motto of tho British Empire is "Our Right is Our Might. , ' Alter the atrocit.es perpetrated by the Germans on their opponents, with the culminating slaugnter of defenceless women and children that has lately taken place in unfortified towns on the East Coast of England, I am certain that all free-born citizens of the Empijo must resent these actions. I am sorry to say that in this Dominion there are numerous colonists who have come from Germany and Austria, some of whom arc naturalised and have received equal liberties with the free-born. Both they and their descendants are, to a. large extent, antagonistic to the Empire that has given them freedom equal to ourselves. Such being the case, we, ns an honourable nation, cannot inflict upon them tho retaliation that our countrymen are receivine from the Germans; but we can do this, boycott all goods imported from the enemy's country from this date, but giving importers tho privilege of disposing of those already received without loss to themselves, on the understanding that in the future they refrain from purchasing any goods manufactured by our enemies. We can also combine together, and refuse to purchase labour, goods, or produce, produced by Germans or Austrinns in this Dominion. Wo shall do well without these colonists, as they are not to be trusted, and the only way to pet at them is through their pocket.—Yours, etc., A PATRIOT. December 21st.