SCENE IN PARLIAMENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17933, 2 November 1918, Page 9

SCENE IN PARLIAMENT.

SOME STIRRING SPEECHES. HOUSE ADJOURNS OYER WEEKEND. [Pib Press AjesoonTio».j| WLLINGTON, November 1. ' There was a large attendance o£ members and the publio galleries werft crowded when the House reassembled to-day. It was known beforehand that the House would adjourn for the day, and there was a sense of keen interest when Mr Massey moved t— '.;:;; " That this House do now adjourn ' till Tuesday, at 2.30, to mark the importance of the news received fzom the British Government announcing . the signing of an armistice between the Allied Governments and Turk-jy. Mr Massey said he was oertain everj? citizen felt as he did with regard tfl[ ae satisfactory nature of the newe which had come from tho heart of the Empire. (Applause). It was true that : the case was not one of unconditional surrender, but it was very little gJicrt>„ of it because it gave a free passage! to the French and British fleets through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus to the Black Sea, and j the occupation of parts w-ces-say to secure the passage of itfiips. It was a key which the Allies, would hold till a satisfactory peace was attained, and very soon decisive victory would bo gained, making peace a certainty and securing the peace of the world for a long time to come. In every comer of the Empire the day.---, would be celobratedj and on every sßritish ship the ensign would fly at its proper place, and everywhere the". Union Jack would be at the masthead. Such a celebration was worthy of tha g importance of the occasion, for the events of the last- few days were possibly the most important in the world's 1 history, because civilisation, which the ■ enemy had threatened to' smash, had | been saved for all time. ANZACS AND THE DARDANELLES. On receipt of the news, he had senfc the following telegram to the Govern-or-General : " The Prime Minister presents his ■■;■ compliments, and desires in connec- '; tion with the anflistice which haa . been signed between the Allied Governments and Turkey to request his Excellency to be so good as to send an urgent telegram to the Secretary of State for the Colonies informing m his Majesty's Government that if it • is found possible it would give great \ satisfaction to the Government of! ji< Now Zealand and, the Prime Minister believes, to the Government of Australia if Anzacs were sent to garrison the Dardanelles." He felt certain that if it was possible to accede to the request it would be a ; compliment undoubtedly earned by tha. v Anzacs, for the campaign was one New" Zealand and Australia could never for- | goti That campaign, ill-fated as it was, 1 had established for the Anzacs a repu«<- ; tation equal to the best fighting man,',; of whom British history gave any w v ; cord. SACRED GROUND, , It might be a small compliment from a British point of view, but he was jus- ' tilled in eaying that on the first occasion when he and Sir Joseph Ward went ; Home they had tabled a motion indicate , ing that when the terms of peaoewere being arranged, as they were at tha m present moment, an earnest endear- ? our should be made to secure | for Britain control of Gallipoli Peninsula. The suggestion would be brought before the Peace Conference. To his mind it would be g nothing less than sacrilege if the foot of the Turk was allowed to press on the dust of' the young men who died X on the Peninsula. The people of New-: Zealand and Australia wanted to mak# ' Gallipoli the Mecca of British citizens of the Paoifio, where they could reflect on the gallant deeds performed for i; the present and future generations. ; Since the fifties the Dardanelles had | remained under the control of Turkey, M but the gate had been opened thai, morning, and whatever the peace terms it would never be closed again. TRIBUTE'TO THE ALLIES. Referring to the Allies, Mr Massej 1 praised the part of the United States...> Btating that the American soldiers had : proved hemselves good, keen men, and M had done a great deal in swinging the'7 balance in favour of the Allies. The 1 gallant stand of the French could have been sustained by nothing but the sin- ' cereet patriotism, for practically id] ■' the work had been done by women, boys and old men. The chivalrous people of Italy had done their share, and New Zealand was delighted to hear that fifteen Austrian division had been surrounded by the armies ol -. Italy, assisted by British and othe* troops. (Applause.) This indicated th< very early oreaking up of the Ana* trian Empire. The native races of th« j Empire had also done magnificently, ' and 2000 Maoris, descended from a long line of warrior people, had proved that they were equal to the best fight- : ing men of the British Army. Thf? r spirit of British citizenship had beett ; shown by all the Native troops* Japan had played the game throughout the war and played: it nobly. Had she thrown in her lot with Germany the j danger to the Pacific dominions would , have been serious, for it would have \ been impossible to send a man to Europe or keep up commercial relations with Britain. New Zealand owed v a deep debt of gratitude to Japan for „ the manner in which she had discharged : her duty to Britain and the Allies. VICTORY COMING. lit was certain that victory was obna- :. ing, whether by the "jnconditional sW»>: tandar «$ Gtaanasar or a deoi«Ye btaK - ~'" .; v..'-' - . <\ ,; .\

m .'the battlefield. As had been said _f the Babylonian King in the handwriting on the Avail, the days of the Kaiser also were numbered, and British citizens should remember tho higher Power that had guided and protected fcheni as a people and the Empire and Its individuals during tho four years of War. The enthusiasm passsd away during the first two years of the war, but ft had been succeeded by a stern do- < termination on the part of all British people to see the war through to a Successful end, ani he believed ho interpreted the spirit of the people find the Allies in saying that when peace. sid' come it would be worthy, of tho jacrifices made by the men who had died for. tho Empire, and of the parents who had sent their sons and wives their husbands. Fifteen thousand men, tho pick of New Zeala-id, would never return. Twelve thousand married men had volunteered for,service and left their wives and families. Peace must oomo with reparation on the rnirt of the enemy, and there would be just punishment for crimes committed, not in open warfare, but' otherwise. Ho hoped for punishment and' reparation and sufficient guarantees that Germ lay should aot be in a position to break the peace it least for a hundred years.

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S SPEECH. Sir Joseph Ward said the majority Df people must regard the day as one of emancipation. It freed the whole civilised world from the intentions of an enemy who started out in the belief that might was right ,and was Prepared in any ruthless way to overcome ihe weaker "nations on the Continent, then, make an onslaught on England, and finally cross to America to become ; the dominant power of the world. It was a wonderfully ambitious scheme by men trained from the cradle as militarists who had determined that the civil side of life should be subordinated to the military. It would have made the peoplo of the British Empire slaves of a power which was going to ruthlessly control the w°Hcl- Among .the countries which Germany had in mind as an indemnity was New Zealand, and the present Secretary of. State for Germany had publicly proclaimed as much iong ago. When the prtsh was made in March last and the Germans believed they 'wero going to take Paris and the Channel ports he then made a statement that Germany would not lie ,content with the return of tho Pacific Islands, but intended to have a great deal more. • What, therefore, could he have had in mind but the taking of New Zealand or Australia? THE WOMEN'S W^.RK. • Sir Joseph continued that he was proud that members of the House fi om both sides of Parliament had fought for emancipation. The sons of members on 'both sides also had "given their lives for the cause, and , lie wanted to p;»y his tribute- to what the women of the Empire had done in the sv.i"r. Without their ample assist-' tin cu" and' personal 'sacrifices in the adoption of their., hew y'onnd work it would have been impossible to free the large number of men from the ; British-Isles >to join the armies of the Continent. ■'' The ■ women of the Empire "had been largely responsible in the light"or.,land for the position in which the armies were at present. ' ' THE NAVY. The news flashed across the wires that British, ships had entered, the Dar- ; daneiles, showed how much . the whole uvilised: world was indebted to the Brioish.Navy for its work. He had no ' hesitation in saying he was confirming the opinion of ■ every, man,, woman and child in the country in saying that it 1 was due to the British Navy that the I Allies were emerging successfully from the war. From the inception of tho war,the Navy had protected the ironbound 'coasts' of England as well as the Dominions and-the world's commerce, besides conveying millions'.'of ' men ■ to • ; . the : Continent without loss of life or ,• ships. When the,,war was ended the secret history of the Navy would touch •the imagination of the whole world and startle people by its wonderful and unexampled efforts. A GIGANTIC ACHIEVEMENT. The world would never forget in years.'to come wiiat was done by Britain at the .start «i .war.', Notwith- ; standing the late assistance of tfto United States, it was to the Motherland that the world owed it's ema'neip'ation. Starting unprepared, she had •within three years six million men trained and equipped, and wneu he leit ' England the manlier was 7£ millions. She had. financed, all the Allies, and wnen she bail ■< added to her own strength the glory of her overseas Dominions, the world saw one of the most* remarKable things in history. i\ew ■ Zealand's contribution was a tribute to the Minister of f Oefeuca ana his Department, for "there was' not a drained man in the Dominion when war broke out.: The ! Kaiser did not behove it possible, for the overseas dominions to throw their lot in with the Motherland in her hour of trial, .but he had been very ill-advised. The late Czar had been in negotiation with the Kaiser for combining the forces of Germany and Russia to fight the Continent and I>ecome its masters- These facts would be published. New Zealand had a right to praise the feats of her own . men and those of Britain. The British dominions had never had any idea of fighting before ; the j war j ■'but -they had risen to the; occasion magnificently. What man in New "•< Zealand who had been <in, a ship, in hisdife could fail to pay, a tribute. to; the courage -and_ resourcefulness of the mercantile marine; THE KING. ' ' Sir Joseph Ward added' that.the old idea of a hereditary monarch in 'Austria and Germany was giving, way to a, fdesire for tne rule 01 the people. (Applause). In speaking of hereditary naomu'chs he did not reier to theßrit- : ish Empire, for Britain was under as true rule of the people as the United States or France, and had* happily a King and Queen who, since the beginning of the war, by devotion to duty and self-sacrifice had won the support of the democracy, and if tho question were put to the vote it would be answered with an overwhelming majority. ' From the King to the lowest worker credit was due for winning the war. , AFTER THE WAR. Among the mass of men who went away, many had not enjoyed many' of the comforts of life, and instead of. iia/iginative suggestions, all classes must recognise that a hew industrial position required to be faced \ by all classes, and placed on a basis that would ensure to. the common sense worker recognition of services rendered. Sir Joseph added that, he never before had felt so proud or elated at the morning's news, for he realised that the war was nearing the end. To those who had lost men at the front there was a greater poignancy of regret, but they could have the proud memory that those who had lost their lives had rendered service which could never be forgotten. ((Applause.) A LABOUR MEMBER. Mr Hindmarsh, in expressing pleasure at the news, said that the nation should preserve a sane and serious tone without singing their own virtues too much. The world was in a worse condition than ever before. There should be a determination to hand down an j7i^f- : f".,-'>p. -,\ better one, for the children of those who had died. Before the :«: Uif»t nersj'had adopted; a beastly and cynical. tone towards those 5ei....) ; ior■■universal- peace. Who had now sued the warlike-spirit? Not the workers, but the rulers. It was lunacy, to trust the destiny of millions to half- , lunatics like the Kaiser and the late Czar.'. Even Britain had trusted herdestinies to neople who, the editor of the'" Statist"" had said, were too lazy to dress themselves. It should now be considered a disgrace for any decent man to go hungry or workless, and things must he altered to make England, at all events, a more comfortable . place to live in. Mr Hindmarsh continued that

policy of humility, for neither Britain nor New Zealand had acted properly. The member was interrupted by angry interjections, Mr Brown stating thai ho considered his remarks disloyal. Mr Payne introduced a. happier note when he declared that he desired to acknowledge the heroism of men, _ who without asking what were the inner causes of the war, went out to defend the right to work out their own destinies under the British flag. SIR JAMES CARROLL. Sir James Carroll declared that the time was not one for controversy, for tho nation was in the war up to its neck. He anticipated further erood news, for the Allies were whittling away the central forces until Germany would bo left to face the whole world. Germany expected to get equal terms, but the Aliies would think twico before making concessions. The news was the greatest triumph of democracy, a word which meant not only the workers but every class of the people, and the greatest democrat in the Empire was King George. (Applause.) People of the world who had been living under the heel of autocracy realised that a remarkable change was imminent. He thanked Mr Massey, for his references to the Maori raco. The Maoris historically came from the same European source as other members of the House, and after thousands of years, the different branches of tho Aryan race met in the South Pacific to reconquer the world and remake it in the way they were striving for. . . ■ THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE. Sir James Allen referred to the welding of the native and European races in the I'acific. The day was of particular significance, for the association of New Zealand and Australia could never be severed. They must not regard Gallipoli as an Anzac show, for; he had a lively recollection 6r the 29th Division (applause), and every man who served on Anzac would be proud to remember the British and other troops engaged in the landing. Wherever New Zealanders had been they had earned a name of which any woman or man in the Dominion could bo proud. The nation was not at the end of the wnr, but sacrifices would continue 'to the end. The New Zealand division had always been supported by the knowledge that the Dominion was behind them, and Imperial officers declared that, the division was regarded as the finest unit on the western front. (Applause). Mr' Hornsby suggested that the House should forget all political differences and urge the national leaders to hurry back to the councils of the Empire in this most crucial time. The motion was carried on the voices and the combined members sang the National Anthem and the Doxology.