NEW ZEALAND'S PART.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 171, 17 July 1918, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND'S PART.

EST THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

An important statement in regard io the war and New Zealand's part in. it wavs made by the Acting-Prime ter, Sir James Allen, in a speech at the Wellington Town Hall the other evening, at the public meeting in connection with Prance's Pete Day celebration. The Acting-Prime Minister said: "Before I go on to refer to the special object of this meeting, I want to allude to a leading article in to-night Evening Post. The Eve'ning Post refers to the statement that the High Commissioner made, a speech in Great Britain in which he alluded to the fact that our manpower was decreasing, owing to the number of men sent away to the front, and that the Americans are coming in in large numbers, and he hinted at the possibility, of the Americans taking the place of A T ew Zealanders. I am asked by The Post to express my opinion upon this, and I do so without any hesitation. We entered into this campaign as New Zealanders with the intention to it through to the end —(applause); and I believe the people of New Zealand are detremined to do so. (Renewed applause). I "It is not very long ago," continued [ Sir James Allen, "that 1 jiad a report from the front detailing what happened during one part, at any rate, of the recent campaign. There was a breach in the line. That breach was filled by the 'New Zealand Division. (Applause). 1 will not go so far as to say that the New Zealand Division saved the situation, but they did a great deal to restore the trouble that had arisen; and 1 am perfectly certain that the 'New Zealand men who are at the Front—those men. with others, who are fighting so bravely—those men of the New Zealand Division want to s>ee it through to the end, and I am sure that they intend to do so —to plaj- their part to the end. (Applause). 1 know there is a great strain upon our man-power and our resources ; but we, like other nations—like our Alies—are prepared to meet this strain, and are prepared to give what we have to give, and will give and willingly give—in order that we may take our part in this great fight for freedom. "We are glad to see our friendls the Americans coming in, and we hope they will come in in larger numbers, until tlie man-power is overwhelmingly on our side, and victory is certain. (Applause). So I Want to make it clear, so far as I am concerned, 1 consider myself pledged—absolutely pledged—to keep the 'New Zealand Division absolutely at its full power as long as we have the man-power to do it" (Applause)