BRITISH EMPIRE AND THE WAR.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15612, 9 June 1916, Page 8

BRITISH EMPIRE AND THE WAR.

No. 111. TVHAT NEW ZEALAND IS DOING. (SPECIALLY WRITTEN FOB "THE PRESS.") (Br Mits Julian Grande.) BERNE, March 30. Tlie writer in the "None Zuerelier Zuitung" and tho "Journal de Geneve," the leading organs of the Germ an-Swiss and French-Swiss Press respectively, deals next with the Dominion of Xew Zealand, and says that nowhere has tho crusading spirit, the conception of the European conflict as a Holy War on behalf of Christian civiisation, been more strongly manifested than in New Zealand. Those beautiful and fertile islands, says tho writer, a little smaller than tho United Kingdom, hold just about a million people, including the aboriginal Maori folk. "The contribution of men and money and material by a population not much larger than that of the city of Birmingham is, indeed, memorable." The motives, of this passionate zeal and loyalty have been set forth by the Hon. Sir Thomas Mackenzie, formerly Prime Minister, and now High Commissioner in London for New Zealand. "I doubt," he jvrites, "if any event chronicled in history has so fired the imagination and kindled the anger of a people, and indeed of the world, as Germany's infamous treatment of Belgium. But this Ido know —it fired tho heart of New Zealand, and when it was decided to send an expeditionary force to the front- to aid Great Britain and her Allies, there was an almost turbulent desire oil the part of our youth and manhood to enlist. Long accustomed, though they were, to the arts of production, and quite unaccustomed to those of destruction, they seemed to realise instinctively that something moi'e than the safety, security, and restoration of Belgium was at stake."

It is a long, long -way from New Zealand to Europe, the writer continues, but Sir T. Mackenzie tells us how the children of the 'Southern Cross realised that "the freedom of the world was involved in the freedom of Europe." "And they foresaw, too," continues the High Commissioner, "that all those principles of constitutional liberty and government, so inherent in the British character, would go by the board if the German Kaiser and his emissaries were allowed to obtain tlio upper hand." The war recruiting was helped, the writer admits, by tho system of universal military training which had been adopted about two years before, so. that, "in the course of a few weeks from the beginning of the war New Zealand was able to mobilise and equip a v thoroughly-trained contingent— horse, foot, and artillery, with all the auxiliary forces —of eight thousand men, the pick of her young manhood. This force joined the Australian army, and was transported at once to Egypt, where the training was completed." "The first contingent was followed by several others, until the total number that has sailed up to date from the islands reaches 30,000; and even this total is on the point of being largely exceeded. With a poignancy of contrast these soldiers from a new nation in another hemisphere were encamped for months in the oldest country of the world, under the shadow of the Pyramids. They received their baptism of fire in the task of repelling the Turks from tho Suez Canal. But a greater and sterner ordeal awaited them. They and their Australian comrades became a part of the Dardanelles Expeditionary Force and the name of 'Anzac' commemorates for ever the dash and heroism and endurance displayed by these Australasian fighting men on the shores and heights of Gallipoli." It is noteworthy, ho considers, that tho New Zealand ranks contained a number of Maoris, that ancient and chivalrous Native race, which, once the enemies of Britain, are now numbered among tho most loyal and contented of British subjects. The gallant deeds of these representatives of New Zealand's original people, will be duly recorded when the history of those soul-stirring events is told in greater detail. As in the case of the other Dominions and Dependencies he says, the despatch of fuflv-cquipped armies has been only one aspect of New Zealand's contribution to war and victory. Tills little folk of ono million souls has subscribed the following sums in money: — £ s. d. For Belgian relief .. .. 373,371 5 4 For British . Telief .. .. 45,970 910 For Allied relief (Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, etc.) .. . 10,603 16 10 £434,951 12 0 This total has now been carried up to over half a million sterling. There remains, however, to be recorded a vast contribution in foodstuffs and clothing. A hundred and forty-eight shipments of these have reached the High Commissioner in London. It may be interesting in this case to enumerate the sort °f supplies sent by a British Dominion. The foodstuffs comprised:— 553 carcases of lamb. 10,696 carcases of mutton. 122 quarters of beef. 152 crates of rabbits and bares. 9 packings of bacon. 8G boxes of butter. 92 crates of' iheese. 1$ sacks of flour. 20 sacks g-erstena. 15 sacks of peas. 15 6acks of wheat. 54 sacks of barley. 73 eases of jam.

| The clothing sliipnients, as ho notes particularlv, include 2540 cases of clothes, 67" bales of blankets, and there were, in addition, one case of books and two cases of toys for Belgian boys and girls. - . It need hardly be said that both in New Zealand and the Home Country everything has been done for the comfort *of the sick and wounded of the New Zealand contingents. There, again, reference may be made to the prospective political results of this close and sympathetic co-operation between the Home' Country and the daughter States of the Empire. "I believe,"' writes Sir T. Mackenzie, "this world-war has done more to consolidate the British Empire and strengthen the bonds of sympathy and the 'crimson thread of kinship' than any power under Heaven could have done. We are being purged with fire, but I believe—indeed. I am convinced —-that we . and our noble Allies will emerge from the ordeal bet-

tor men and a stronger race. Only we must, be of gocd courage and of steadfast resolution, sustained by the conviction that we and our AJlies are fighting in a just and righteous cause, and for all that is best for the highest interests, not only of cur day and generation. but of our posterity. We must; fight to ensure a peace that shall l.e more enduring than bronze."

Such writing Ims been Greatly needed in the neutral Press, where Cermnny lias" made irrrediblc efforts to belittle the -British Dominions and cause their

part in the war either to be concealed or attribute to the basest and meanest of motives. No. IV. "WHAT SOUTH AFRICA HAS DONE.

BERNE, March 31. The average Briton does not need to be told how much the Empire owes to General Botha and our fellow-subjects in South Africa. The Germans at the beginning of the war did their utmost to abuse General Botha in neutral countries, and it was not till many months later that they gave up writing about "tho unrest in South Africa" — not, in shor.t. until it was hopeless to persuade even th<s most foolish and illinformed neutral that General Botha and South Africa were otherwise than entirely loyal to the British Empire. Tho article on South Africa, therefore, in the "Neue Zuerehcr Zeitung" and tho "Journal de Geneve," is particularly significant. The writer points out that no portion of the British Empire has rendered more brilliant service to the common cause than South Africa. The German campaign of bribery and intrigue and corruption, which has been' more extensive and determined here than elsewhere, proved a miserable failure. Some weak and restless spirits became its victims, but the Dutch Govcrnmcnt, under that great Imperial statesman and soldier. General Botha, made short work of this attempt at rebellion. Tho Union Government, having settled that little business, braced itself for an enterprise which was much larger and moro difficult than has perhaps been generally realised—the conquest and occupation of the square miles, constituting German South-West Africa. This undertaking required an army of 08,000 men, who were all enrolled in British South Africa; and that- vast territory, having been conquered, had to be garrisoned, the German regular troops being now, of course, all prisoners of war. This duty has in itself absorbed a considerable forco. In addition to all this, tho Union of South Africa has provided forces for the defence of the north-east-ern frontier of Rhodesia, where Britain, Belgium, and Germany aro inclose neighbourhood, and has just.recruited another substantial force which, under General Smuts, Minister of D°fencc, will soon account for Germany's ast remaining oversea colony in East Africa. With all those responsibilities to itself and the Empire, the Union has .not been able to vie with other Dominions in the size of its contingents raised for European service. Wo must remember that the white population of South Africa is only about a million situated in the midst of a black population six times as large. Moreover, this million consists of two races, and it is not to be expected that the Dutch element, whose European homeland is not a belligerent, should be so strongly impelled to enlistment for European service as the British South Africans. Yet, despite all this, the Union has done magnificently, even in this respect. It has sent to England a force of 7000 men, who certainly represent some of the finest fighting material which tho British Empire affords. This splendid contingent consists firstly of the First South African Infantry Brigade, under Brigadier-Gen-eral H. T. Lukin, C.M.G.. D.5.0,, with all four regiments recruited over , the whole length and breadth of British South Africa, and containing representatives of such well-known corps as the D.uke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles, the Rand Rifles, the Imperial "Light Horse, tho South African Constabulary, the Transvaal Scottish, and the Cape Town Highlanders. Then there is tlie regiment of Heavy Artillery, largely recruited from Cape Colony, and transferred almost bodily from active service in Germain South-West Africa. To round off the contingent, a general hospital, a Field Ambulance, an Aviation Squadron, a Signalling Company, and a Military Record Office have been provided. Nor must we forget that South Africa has its own representation in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, tho force consisting of "three hundred naval reservists in Cape Colony and Natal. From these a. contingent of three officers and seventy-six men have come to England, and are attached to the Royal Naval Division. Meanwhile Rhodesia, that proud mother of first-class fighting men, has, as might he expccted, thrown herself heart and sonl into the fight, primanly, of course, into the fight in South Africa. No fewer than 5000 Rhodesians are under arms, that is, a good 40 per cent, of the adult white male population. A considerable contingent from Rhodesia have also come home "on their own,'' for service in Europe; and this applies to South Africa in general. The Germans, we aro told, have already complained of tho ''frightfulness" of the Rhodesian sniper. Rhodesian troops will, of course, find their chief task in tho East African campaign, which is now being taken seriously in hand.

Of the gifts of money and material sent. "Home" from South Africa it is impossible to give a.ny complete enumeration. The best course is to take a few examples at random. The Matabeleland Central War Fund Committee [ s-ent £900 to the Prince of Wales's '•'und, and < £100 to the British Red Cross Society. Tho "Friend" newspaper of Bloomfontein sent £4164 odd to the Secretary of State for the Colonies to be allocated at his discretion. The European resident? of Basutolaud sent £1835 to the Prince of Wales's Fund, and those in Bechuanaland a similarly handsome gift. Gifts of money, foodstuffs, tobacco, etc., are past reckoning. Especially gratifying has been the generosity of the great native chieftains. Ichama and tho Bamangwato people sent £817 to thePrince of "N ales's Fund. Lewanika •(lately dead.), a great Rhodesian chieftain, sent a contribution of £200, and Griffith, permanent chief of the Basutcs, has raised large sums from his tribe. Such gifts are welcome not only for their own sake, but as showing that the natives of South Africa appreciate the freedom and protection they enjoy as subjects of the British Empire. As the "Xeue Zuercher Zeitung" has a daily circulation of eight or ten thousand in Germany, these articles will perhaps do something towards opening the eyes of the German people t 0 the true relations between England and her overseas Dominions.