FOR HOME DEFENCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2390, 20 February 1915, Page 8

FOR HOME DEFENCE

NATIONAL RESERVE DEMONSTRATION

MEETING IN TOWN HALL

SOME STIRRING ADDRESSES

A public demonstration in support cf the National Reserve, which is being organised for homo defence), was held iu tho Town Hall last night. Tho,hall was filled in overy part, so that ,tho attendance, may be assessed at something over 3000: The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) presided, and addresses were delivered by the Right Hon. W. I". Massey (Prime Minister), the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of tho Opposition), and Colonel Porter, C.B. • District branches of the Reserve marched to' tho liall, one of them led by tho Mission Band, and tho entry of every now body of reservists was applauded and cheored by. the crowd. Tho Tramways Band (honorary band to the Wellington District (National Reserve) played appropriate* martjal and patriotic music ,'tt intervals during tho evening. . Mr.' J. Glenn.)' played a cornet solo, "The Rosary," aiid Miss B. Menard and two *,ther little girls (pupils of Miss Estolle Beere), Misses B. Pearson and AI. Madden danced a. sailors' .hornpipe. ' Commendable Enthusiasm. The Mayor said that he was gratified, as lie was sure the citizens all were, to see so much enthusiasm as 'was shown by the large audience in the hall at such a patriotic demonstration. The people of Wellington had not beej. behind hand in helping the Mother Country in her hour of trial, having, helped not only with material resources, but with men, and with' both most generously. The war had been none of our seeking, had not been brought about by the cupidity or ambition of any rulers of ours.. Britain had come forward : with all ' her wealth, offering also liberally of her men to' protect ' a small State from oppression and extinction. As was now abundantly clear, Germany had set out to vanquish not only Belgium, but Britain as well, but it was now a certainty that her ambition would , never be realised, and that victory in the end would be to the Allies. Here in New Zealand our hearts went out to the lads in the trenches, who were fighting so bravely for' all that British people hold dear, assuring comfort and peace to the people in these islands. Our hearts went out also to the lads at the front; because amongst them were many Now Zealanders who had voluuteered readily from all parts of the Empire! (Applause.) New Zealand had done her part in paying to the ' Motherland her tribute of' men. First of all, a force had been hastily raised to go to Samoa, the • first Expeditionary.Force to set out to capture enemy territory in the South Seas. (Applause.), People said it was -sure to be, a bloodless war in Samoa, but it was very nearly a .bloody wax. Two Gorman cruisers' came there to shell tho place, but if they had landed a party, that party, he ventured to say, would never have got back to their ships. (Applause.) Some of that Samoa Garrison were ooming back to New Zealand to go to the front in Europe—in Germany as wo all hoped. The men who had gone ■ later were a fine lot of fellows, who showed by their conduct —in spite of what some people might say—that they were true Britishers. (Applause.) More men were going, and more would go, to swell tho British Armies, until Germany, reduced already "to tho madness of, despair, should be vanquished, and a peace secured which would be honourable, a peace that would be just not only to ourselves, but to our brave Allies.' (Applause.) He paid a warm tribute, to the sacrifices made by the women of Now Zealand, first of all in '.sending their men' to the front, and also in working to ensure that they should go away fully equipped.. Ho was sure that the women were honoured ' for their sacrifice. (Applause.) Last of all, ho congratulated. the National Reserve on the enthusiasm and success with which their: campaign of enlistment had been carried on.!' (Applause.)

| varriea- vu.. lAppwube./ ! "See This Thing Through." i i The Right Hon. W. F. Massey was loudly applauded and cheered as he stood forward to speak. Ho wished, he said, to express his sympathy for and approval of the National Reserve movement, which it. already had from the people of Wellington. He knew the members of tho Reserve were not clamouring to go to the front, lut' he knew that if they were needed the 1 ? .would go to a man. (Applause.) He did nat believe in jingoism or vainglorious boasting. _ What was required of the nation at this time was a : strong, steadfast determination "to see this thing.through," to bring this war to a successful' issue, and in such a way that no recurrence' of it would be possible in our generation, and r he hoped, for many generations. (Applause.) As the Mayor had said, the war' v/as not sought by the British people. The war was forced upon us, and we had. to go to war to keep our own self-respect, and the respect of the other nations of the earth. When the British Government unsheathed the sword the action was approved by every part of the Empire, not only by people of the AngloSaxon race, hut by people of every colour and creed and class who lived in countries protected by the British flag. At the present. time the Empire had at the . front, aud on the way there, representatives of every race in the Empire all doing or intending to do "their little bit" in protecting the ' power which with all its faults had always stood for justice, freedom, and righteousness, for tho uplifting of humanity and the progress of civilisation. (Applause.)

The Part of ths Women. He was glad to acknowledge with the Mayor that tho enthusiasm of our peoplo was not limited to tho men alone. Of tho enthusiasm of. the women he knew lots of instances. A short while ago ■. the Government called for volunteers from nurses for sorvico at the front, and ths Defence Minister had received hundreds of applications from young girls, carefully brought up. who were willing to rive up home, friends, and comfort for the privilege of nursing wounded soldiers. Their only recompense would be the feeling when the war was over that they had done their duty to the Empire. Here in Wellington as in other places women had been working hard to provide our boys with tho equipment/which they required, and also to provide the necessaries of life for the dependents of those who were on the battle-fioldfi at'the other side of the world, risking their lives and doing their duty for King and Empire. • Mothers had come to him begging that their sons might bo allowed to go to tho front with tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (Applauso.) About the timo the Maori Expeditionary Force was to leave, tho mother of ono of the boys came to seo hor son before he left, but she arrived a day too late. She wished to ) communicate with her son, and arrange-1 ments wero made for her to do so by wiroloss. Her message ' was, ho believed, characteristic of Now Zealand mothers: "Bo brave. Do your duty. Kia Ora." (Applause.) Those were instances of tho feeling which prevailed throughout this community at the present time, a, fooling . of .which evor.v oiLiwn ot tho Empire had reason to be proud. Tho Day's Work. Along with-it there was also the feeling that it whk nil part of the day'sjrork, Kvcu idUioueJi tlio wan .wbj,

going on it was part of our duty to keep business going on as usual, to keep, our peoplo employed, aoid to keep our fields cultivated. In war timo wo must expect to make sacrifices. Certain commodities had increasod in price, but that was unavoidable. Altogether he believed that wo should get through tho war with very little difficulty, and porhaps none the worse for tho experience. "It is quito truo that the end of tho war is not yet in sight," he said. "It is still 'a long way to Tippcrary,, but wo'll get there—(applause)—ana when *o get there Kaisorism will be crushed, and tho peace of tho world restored, I hopo for a very loug timo to come." Many people thought, he continued, that this would be the last war. Ho was not of that opinion. Human nature would havo to change a great deal before men would beat their swords into ploughshares and their 6pcars into reap-mg-hooks, and learn the arts of war 110 more. We must still be prepared. Ho was one of thd6e who .believed that Great Britain would have been well advised if she had taken the advice given her by that great soldier, Lord Rooerts (applause)—that she should adopt a defence system similar to that now in force in Australia and New Zealand. (Applause.)

Now Zealand's Duty. New Zealand had endeavoured to;do her duty, in this war. We had sent in proportion as many men to the front as had been sent by any dependency" of the Empire, and if moro were wanted many more would be sent. Ho believed they would be wanted, and that they would be forthcoming.. New Zealanders had up to the present done well wherever they had been given a chance. Only that day news had reached us that a New Zealand scldier had been honoured by his King and Lord Kitchoner; he referred to Major-General Davies. Another New Zealander who had been mentioned in tho day's news was Dr. Martin, mentioned in dispatches. Ho spoke, in conclusion, of the National Reserve. Ho was sorry that it was not possible to provide the members of it with rifles and equipment. All. the rifles were needed for the Expeditionary Force and for the Territorial army, and it was really owing to the foresight of the Defence Minister that a good supply of rifles was in hand at the beginning of the war. He believed the National Reserve-was an organisation to which every, able-bodied man that could possibly do so should belong, and if it should ever come within his power to assist the movement he would willingly do so. (Applause and cheers.)

Changes Brought by War. Sir Joseph Ward was also given a round of applause on rising. War brought' about marvellous changes, ho said. Some people believed before the war that it would be absolutely impossible to send away from New Zealand a force of nearly 17,000 men. Before the war, too, the Kaiser thought the British Expeditionary Force would never be more than negligible in size. - Now he doubtless knew that we had nearly 3,000,000 men under arms. So also it was a surprise to most people that Mr. Lloyd George could evolve a scheme which had- saved the financial houses .not onlv in Britain \ but in New Zealand and all other British lands.. The Navy had stood the supreme test of war, and we bad the . assurance of Mr. Churchill that the Navy would be stronger after a year of war than at'the beginning,. Now the murder tactics of the Germans inspired no fear in the British people, wlio would carry this war through to a successful issue. The formation .of the National Reserve was an expression of the confidence and determination of tho people'. . He wished to express, his appreciation of the value of the movement, feeling', assured that the Reserves would develop into a permanent national institution. He was glad, to be able to endorse the tribute to Major-General Davies, whom ho knew t - ) be a brave man and a good soldier. (Applause.) , All were convinced that victory , must rest with the Allies. Personally lie refused to believe that an All-Wise Providence could ever allow a nation to triumph which practised murder and outrage. He honed and believed that as'. : cno resnjt of the war the British , Empire might be consolidated and moro indissolubly united than ever, and if otir men fell in bringing ■ this about, thev would' fall in a' good cause. (Applause.).

Colonel Porter detailed the history'of tho movement, covering' ground which he has frequently covered in meetings of tranches of the Reserve, He announced that it was hoped that 5000 or 6000 men would enrol in tho . Reserve in Weilington. . .

An enthusiastic meeting concluded •with the singing of the National Anthem and cheers.