THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17335, 25 November 1916, Page 14

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

STRONG AND UNITED. A MINISTER'S STATEMENTS. Amongst the toasts at a complimentary dinner given on Wednesday evening by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce to members of the conference sitting in Wellington was "The National Ministry," proposed by Mr .1. Macintosh, president of the Wellington Chamber. [Replying to the toast, the Hon W. H. Hemes, Minister of Railways, said that generally the National Government received abuse. It was said that the Government had put on heavier taxation than was ever known before. So it had. It had taken the butterfat, and so on, but the National Government was put (here to i]o Miose things, because a strong Government was needed to assist in prosecuting the war to a victorious end. Maybe it would have been better had other countries followed the example of ihe Government of New Zealand. The great necessity was unity, and a National Government was united in doing things thai could not be dono by another Government.

It was sometimes said that, the Motherland, was inking more from New Zealand than from other countries. Well, we should ho proud that the Motherland thus camp to New Zealand. During the existence of the National Government party.'political strife had been, largely mitigated. It was to bo hoped that others would follow the example of the politicians. If the employer and the employee, instead of being at daggers drawn, would come together a lot of the difficulties would vanish: troubles about wages and hours would pass away, and we could devote all our energies to assisting the Mother Country. On behalf of the Government ho thanked the commercial men of. the country tor the assistance they had given the National Government, and the Chambers of Commerce for aid in questions not easy of solution. There were still greater difficulties ahead after the conclusion of the war, and he hoped there would he a strong and nniied Government to deal with them, just a,s there was now a united Government to. deal with problems during the war. It should bo borne in mind that the problems were greater than ever faced Governments prior to the war, and if the Government was thought to be too cautious it should not be forgotten that it was better to he cautious than rash. "When history came to be written it would be shown that the part played by New Zealand was one of the greatest played by any portion of the Empire.