MINISTER OF DEFENCE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 21 May 1919, Page 5

MINISTER OF DEFENCE

THE MAN WHO WORKED AT HOME. *

forPihlfirf gi\e£ Sir James Allen tor his work as Minister of Defence in el! aTthT \ thG H°n- W Russell at the luncheon given by the Government to Sir Andrew Russell in Wellington on Saturday.

' that this expression can come better ■p&sc^w^^i^ • All™£ 11 a*sociated wi*h Sir James Allen in the Government I. wish to say !!w v ,he has maintained the work ■ that he has put through during the war period I am unable to comprehend. 1 say that with absolute sincerity, because I.am a pretty hard worker myself, as everybody knows. Yet, night I after night, Saturdays and Sundays in- • eluded, when I have gone to my bed, } I have seen the light going i n Sir James Allen's office. Night and day he has put into this work. lam satisfied that the success of the representatives or New Zealand in the fighting iine, the continuance of reinforcements you, General Russell, have always had have been very largely due to the initiative, determination and willpower of the Minister of Defence, coupled with the energy and ability of the Headquarters Staff. "I pay this tribute ttf Sir James i f> llen Wlth utmost sincerity, and I teel that the people of New Zealand will yet recognise more fully what he has done for the country. While we have gone through many strenuous times, while we may have had some differences of opinion, yet we have all I felt and feel to-day that the Minister ot Defence had only one purpose^ that he was single-eyed, and devoted' to the object he had in view—to win the war: That object has been achieved^ While we give credit to the general who commanded the forces, I think it would be churlish on my part not to give credit to the Minister of Defence, who has had so much to do with providing the men and material to keep the force in the field." (Applause.)