EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF CABINET

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2218, 3 August 1914, Page 8

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF CABINET

LOCAL PLANS THE PREMIER CONFIDENT SATISFACTORY . ARRANGEMENTS An extraordinary meeting of 1 the Executive was held at half-pa:st seven o'clock last evening, His Excellency the Governor.presiding. The meeting lasted until 8.55. Tho Prime Minister was interviewed soon afterwards, - and intimated that lie had- very. little to "say.. •nVo. understand the position," he re-' marked, "and our arrangements araprogressing , satisfactorily." _ When .the- Executive sat it had before it a from the ..Imperial Govornment announcing tliao Germany had declared war on Russia, but no official confirmation had come to hand of the declaration of .war upon Germany by France. . ■ ■ ' . The Executive will meo,t again to-day to further consider ■ the position, and take'such measures as may be necessitated by,any -further.developments. ' Tho lloii. James Allen (Minister of Defence) conferredrlast evening with the C-r.nimandant (Sir Alexaudei" - Godley) and the Naval Adviser (Captain P; Hall Thompson). ■' THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. Late last evening the Prime Minister stated that the Government hid- notAct received an official reply from tlio Imperial Government to its offer of an expeditionary fot.ee should it be requited: - ■ Therp is still, of courso, a possibility that tlie forco may not be required, and meantime.' its ' strength' and other, details have not jet . been 'finally determined. If it is called for it mil be left to the Imperial Government to-deter-" iriinolts destination. .... Sir. Massey 'has - received' many telegrams from all parts of tho Dominion heartily 1 congratulating' the . Government iipon the; announcement regarding •an . expeditionary force,_ and air. ready-fthough it was explicitly stated by the . Commandant of the Forces that the time for volunteering had not yot arrived—there havo' been many offers from New Zealariders desiring to serve with the expeditionary force., If ;CanI ada's forco is to be 30,000 men "New in proportion, would 'he about 4000. MEETINC OF PARLIAMENT. . The Prime Minister stated last night that there was no present indication of anticipating the meeting of Parliament to-morrow -by calhng it together, to day or of seeking an adjournment.. The House of Representatives will meet as usual - to-morrow, and the Council, on Wednesday, it having adjourned until that day at its rising on Friday. . GUARANTEEING BANK NOTES., • It is expected that the House of Representatives when it meets to-morrow will be .invited to pass the Banking Amendment Bill, a measure which enables. the Government to. , guarantee bank notes in times crisis. Its main provision is . that the Governor-in-Coun-cil may. by proclamation, make bank notes legal tender. The Bill passed its second reading on Tuesday last, and sinco it received strong support on that occasion.from'both sides of the House it .will probably pass through its maining stages practically, unopposed. The banking institutions of the Do- ; minion, a leading political authority stated last evening, were in .tho-Jbea-possible position to meet an emergency of tho kind that has now arisen. STATE ADVANCES DEPARTMENT. Official reticence, is being maintained as to the financial adjustments made necessary by the European situation,' but it is known that'the operations of the State Advances Department in all its branches' have been slowed dtwn. So far as the local position is concerned plenty of money is available to meet all reasonable demands, and the finances of the Advances Department have never been in a healthier 6tate,' but-the position is. of course materially affected by. the disorganisation of the Home money market owing to tlie outbreak of the European war. AT PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS. Although they were not altogether unexpected the _ grave developments in the European situation which were an- : nounced by cablegram last evening created something of a sensation at. Parliament Buildings. Throughout the day matters had been tranquil. It wis known that the Governor had conferred with the Primo Minister in the forenoon, but this v;as regarded as quite natural in view of the critical situation that obtained, and did not givo rise-to any particular. remark. When the news that Germany' had declared war upon Russia arrived 1 soon after ' five o clock, the cffect was 'electrical. While, Ministers, as has been stated, we're quickly assembled in Ciibinot', private members throughout tho evening gatliored in groups about' the lobbies and' discussed .the situation aiid its possibilities. Expressions-.of deep' regret" at the outb'reaK of such a disastrous conflict were general, but, at the samo time members one arid all declared a. confident belief in the ability of. the British race to weather whatever storms might-descend.