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THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

WAR WOBK— AND AFTER THE WAR. "The National Government is the creation of the country," said the.Hon. W. H. Berries, Minister of Eailways, at the annual dinner of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce yesterday. "That fact ought to be remembered- in connection with the flood of adverse criticism that is poured upon its members. The people of the Dominion desired that the two political parties should sink their differences and form a National Government. That, Government was formed for a particular •purpose. It was not expected to devise social reforms, to evolve new legislation or to'undertake great public works.. Its duty was to carry on New Zealand's share of the war and to assist the statesmen of the Mother Country as far as possible by the development of the military resources of New Zealand, the training and dispatch of troops, and the shipping of foodstuffs and products; It .was-the duty of tho Government to watehthe welfare of the soldiers, provide adequate 'pensions and allowances, and make the ■resources of the Dominion availablo as far as might be necessary for war purposes. You must not look for the result of the National Government's work in New Zealand. You must look in Egypt and in Trance, iii London and on the seas..-..The members of the Government are content to be judged ■by results. . '

"People in this country are apt to forget sometimi's that they are engaged in a war. The man who finds that his train has been stopped, or the man who discovers that his taxation has been' increased, forgets the cause, and blames ■ the National Government. Every man who suffers some little inconvenience or has some fad to push is ready to condemn the National Government. But the members of the Ministry have a right to be judged by events in the major fields of war, not ■by minor incidents in this country. . . . We are deeply indebted' in many ivays to the commercial people of New Zealand. We looked' to,them for assistance', as we had a right to do, and wo received it. We have taken expert advice from business men. in very many matters during the war, and the advice has always been given willingly and promptly." Tho Minister mentioned specially the work of the members of the National Efficiency Board and of the advisory committees which had been connected with various branches of the Government's war work. . "Tho National Government was brought into existence to do-work that no mere party Government could have done,? , added Mr. Herries. "It is our business and your business to see that the work is carried to aproper conclusion. That must be the object of our efforts. I hope to be able to say when thenar is over that the National Government has done good work. I hope, too that the National Government will he continued in office when tne war is over in order that it may tackle the postwar problems, which are in some aspects greater and more complicated than the problems of thenar itself. 1 National Government.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19170510.2.22

Bibliographic details

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3080, 10 May 1917, Page 4

Word Count
510

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3080, 10 May 1917, Page 4

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3080, 10 May 1917, Page 4

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