The Star THURSDAY, JULY 12, 1917. NEW ZEALAND AND THE WAR.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 12 July 1917, Page 4

The Star

THURSDAY, JULY 12, 1917. NEW ZEALAND AND THE WAR.

Delivered every evening by 6 o'clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Kaluga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutali Alton, Hurley, ville, Patea, Waverley.

In the course of his interesting address at Pukekohe on Monday evening the Premier spoke in no uncertain terms on the subject of New Zealand continuing to maintain its reinforcements. So did Sir James Allen in the House on Tuesday. During the past week or two there have been not a few suggestions about the limit having been reached or being within sight" ihat sort of talk is not in accordance with the declarations made at the outset that Zealand would send her last man and spend her last penny, and if the opinion in favor of calling a halt materialises into a definite movement it may have serious political results. The men who have been responsible for the promises made evidently will stand to those promises and if they are not duly supported cannot be expected to retain responsibility. No doubt the strain on New Zealand is proving more heavy than was anticipated owing to the'length of the struggle. It was too common an idea that Lord Kitchener's prophecy of three years of war was an exaggeration of probabilities, or foreshadowed at least the maximum. Some of our public men indulged in forecasts' which rested on a much shorter vision, and perhaps it must be admitted that our military and financial policy was based on the expectation of the struggle being sharp and decisive, but comparatively short in duration! Ministers were badgered to do this and that by members and meetings, and possibly in consequence went faster than otherwise they would have done. Now there seems to be some little suggestion of a recoil. Sentiments have been heard in Parliament already that would not have been advanced a couple of. years ago. This indicates a tendency which must be held up. It is an unworthy argument to use that because new "allies with large populations are coming to aid us we may i slacken off. N^w Zealand is no more entitled to say this than any other part of the Empire. No doubt the financial burden is going to be heavier than hitherto. When men of the Second Division are called up more

must bo done in the way of making due provision for their dependents. This will mean not only more expenditure, but a higher rate of expenditure, but subject to what we may hear when the Budget comes down there is no reason to suppose that our resources will not be equal to all fair and legitimate demands. So far it is clear that the Premier, who necessarily has the best of information, sees no prospect of such a thing. Patriotism demands that the Government be given the most helpful support, and that nothing be done calculated to embarrass it; and even from the material point of view of self-preserva-tion this Dominion is bound to do its utmost. Everything worth possessing, worth enjoying, depends upon the fate of the Empire in this awful struggle.