TO THE END

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 14, 16 July 1918, Page 7

TO THE END

NEW ZEALAND'S PART

IN THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

ACTING-PRIME MINISTER'S

FIBMNESS.

An important statement in regard: to the war and New Zealand's part iii it was made by the Acting-Prime Minister, Siv James Allen, in a speech at the Town Hall' last evening, at the public meeting in connection with Franco's Pete Day celebration. The Acthig-Prime Minister said:—

' "Before I go on to refer to the special object of this meeting, I want to allude to a leading article in to-night's Evening Post. ' The Evening Post refers to the statement that the High Commissioner made a speech, in Great Britain in which he alluded to the fact that our manpower was decreasing, owing to the number of men sent away to the,front, and that the Americans are coming in in large numbers, and he hinted at the possibility of the Americans taking the place of "New Zealanders. lam asked by The Post to, express my opinion upon this; and I do So without any hesitation. We entered into this campaign as New Zealanders with the intention to see it through to the end—(applause); and I believe the people of New Zealand are determined to do so. (Ronewed applause.) "It is not very long ago," continued Sir James Allen, "that I had a report from the front detailing what happened during one part, at any rate, of the recent campaign. There was a breach in the line. That breach was filled by the New Zealand Division. (Applause.) I will not go so far as to say that the New Zealand Division saved the situation, bat they did a great. deal .to restore the trouble that had arisen; and I am perfectly certain that the New Zea' land men who , are at the frontr—those men, with others, who are fighting so bravely—those men of the New Zealand Division; want to see it through to the end, and I am sure that they intend to do so—to play their part to the end. (Applause.) I know there is a great strain upon our man-power and our resources; but We, like other nations^like our Allies—are prepared to meet this strain, and are prepared to give what we have to give, and will give— and willingly give—in order that we may take our part in this great fight for freedom. „ "We are glad to see-our friends the Americans coming in, and we hope they will come in in larger numbers, until the man-power is overwhelmingly on our side, and-victory is certain. (Applause.) So I want to make it clear, so far as I am concerned, I consider myself pledged—absolutely' pledged—to keep the New Zealand Division absolutely at its full power as long as we have^the! Man-power to do it. ' (Applause.) ■ ■ ■ \