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Evening Star, Issue 16237, 5 October 1916, Page 4

The Dunedin City Council cannot be commended for the clifliDlffidsnt dent and roundabout Congratulations, manner in which they “ resolved ” to congratulate Mr Lloyd George on hia perfect expression of the will of the nation in respect to carrying the war to a decisive finish, and the nation’s temper regarding any attempt by snuffling neutrals to call a halt now. The local administrators, who must have known the satisfaction of all the citizens for the stirring statement of the Secretary of State for War, dismissed the matter with this resolution:—‘‘Tnat “ this council respectfully suggest to the “Acting Prime Minister the advisaoility “of sending a cablegram, on behalf of “ the people of New Zealand, to Mr Lloyd “ George in support of his timely warning “that Great Britain would not tolerate “ any interference by well-meaning but “ misguided neutrals with a view to bring- “ ing about peace at the present juncture, “ as in our opinion this great conflict can- “ not be brought to a conclusion other than “on terms that are imposed by the Bri- “ tish Empire and her Allies—namely, un- “ conditional surrender.”

That may have expressed completely the council’s sentiments at the moment, but it certainly did not express, with the pith and earnestness worthy of the occasion, the real minds and hearts of the utizens whose souls were mirrored by the Searching eloquence and wisdom of Mr Lloyd George. And why was it necessary for the council to-speak for New Zealand as a whole, instead of speaking definitely and emphatically for themselves as representing the citizens of Dunedin? Indeed, it was not even necessary at all to have the matter brought up incidentally at the meeiing of the council. The Mayor would have earned the gratitude of the citizens if he, following the sensible lead of the Mayor of Christchurch, had sent direct to Mr Lloyd George without delay their congratulations and support. Impulse appears to spring more readily among representative men in Oamaru and Christchurch. It would have strengthened the hands and heart of the Minister of War if iiom every city and hamlet overseas he had received a grateful endorsement of his declaration tnat “ this ghastliness must never be xe-enacted on this earth. .And one method, at least, of attaining that end is the infliction of such punishment upon the perpetrators ot this outrage against humanity that the temptation to emulate their exploits will be eliminated from tire hearts of the evil-minded among the rulers of men.”