NEW ZEALANDERS IN LONDON.

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13170, 7 October 1914, Page 7

NEW ZEALANDERS IN LONDON.

CONTINGENT AND WAIR FUND. Fiom Our ,9/wM Cow«j)on<l<nt. LONDON, August 14, A meeting of New Zcalandeis in London, called by Die New Zealand Association, was held in the Westminster Palace Hotel yeateidny afternoon. The High Commissioner for the Dominion, tlie Hon. T. Maeken/ie, presided ovei a meeting of about 401). Amongst thosi* present wcie Lord Plunket ami Lord Islington,"-'ex-Governors of New Zealand, Liidy Islington, the Hon. % Pe'iuber Moves, lately Agent-General for the Dominion, and representatives of; all parts of tlie country," The High Commissioner's opening spph'was as follows':—

I Mr Mackenzie's Speech. ' In 'Welcoming you here tins',evening I think n;ir first ilnty is to thank the committee, of ..the. New. Zealand Km-. elation for their good work in organising this gathering in order that some colurse' 'may be followed for■'tiie-])ur'|idse' of,- putting into action the generous.efforts that have been made by so.ninny pjjopie.' We have here a large .am) most representative gathering of thos? who are, and have..been, associated with ■oi|r Dominion,' First there is the.Bight Honourable Lord Islington, the. newlyappointed Under-Secretary of State, for, llje Colonics.. And let me here.say h'ow pleased we New Zealniiilersni'ii Hint his services have been secured for that important'post. 'His knowledge, experience, and energy will bo invaluable, not only for Hie .Government of the country, but especially for those great interests associated with v his .'Majesty's nyersea dominions, We have also Lord pjuiikct-rnnollier of our ex-Governors ■'■& man who did splendid service (hiving the time he waswith ns,''and whoso together-with that of his good lady, is'still an honoured one in the Dominion. The Hewn is represented by the Right Hon. Sir Joshua Strange Williams and Mr Justice Chapman. .Our i'dniiiiMi'ial'Hi'ul '.shipping interests, are represented by Sir Jarnes Mills and Mr McMillan, of Auckland. Our farmers and pastoralists and'citizens' are represented—together with their. .wives and daughters, ; iu„numbers that must bring gratification to the hearts of our English-speaking . friends in tins' (he centre,of the Empire. We hope at today '& gathering to so' organise and arrange matters as to,be,able to give /direction to those who are so generously prepared to assist. Naturally from to ninny rtiinJs l there have 'jeeu many suggestions, for all of which we are most grateful, In a, measure, some of the ideas we hope obe able to give effect to-and othera '.re already provided for. Indebted to Lord Islington,

I may say that the High Commissioners kve had several meetings in onsultatiou with Lord Islington, and f .am sure we are deeply indebted to urn for his valuable cooperation, We nve endeavoured to shape a line of niformity of action, in order that collusion should not arise in roimeetiir.i t'ith names and ■designation,!, oiibject 0 your approval,'we liave'lhouglit that l|e uame of the organiphlioii i.houid be "I he New' 'Zealr.iii'f 'War"'' Contingent. Association." ft is'thought that there should be a general committee formed ot which the High Commissioner should be the president; that there should lie .two subcommittees, and, afterwards, other committees might be constituted as occasion might require. I have gathered through the Colonial Ofliee that the Victoria League would willingly co-operate witli us, and as they contain in their ranks numbers of New Zenlauders, it is to be hoped that they will nominate some representatives for 1 lie committees—probably the best would be the women's committees. Oil' the main committee'we are fortunate in having permission to -include some of our ex-Governors, ami many of our leading public men. Later on it is intended to form a connecting link between the various overseas organisations, with the representatives from the Colonial Oliice and, other prominent men.

A Consultative Committee. ; Jn addition to these committees re-! preventative of .Yew Zealand and. other, similar ones representing Cannda nml I Australia, it is proposed that, there 1 should lie established a .Consultative j Committee, with power, ot 1 a'purely advisory character to each .committee,,! •which, 1 incidentally,'can'act as a connecting link between the respective committees which may be anticipated! to bring about good Imperial results.! This Consultative Committee to consist of prominent gentlemen conversant with Hie Empire and whose nilmes are known in the Dominion. On this committee I there should be.sonic one who has had! intimate connection with the War Of/ lice nml the Admiralty, 'lt would also, be advisnble to have some one in tou'di! with n large supply-department and stores, whose special knowledge would j be valuable in t||JH direction. j Dealing first with the efforts of the \ men. Many are keenly desirous of giving' active military'service;' others, who ire ' perhaps advanced in years, are willing ' to give any form of assistance to! which their services can lie applied,. • Dealing-with those who; wish to giye active military- serviee, r it is, as will appear obvious on rellection, impossible for us to form a unit here to. paUnch to the 'main army, but there I are other honourable ami equally effective—Unit-"'might be suggested, '.There is,...first, King, reward's Horse,, which was formed during. the South African War, with the sub-! title of the King's Overseas Doiuiu-i ions Regiment;- J I', however, it be the! wish of our friends to be more closely j associated with New Zealand, it might I be possible, with the approval of the' War OflU'p.ftud with the concurrence of -toy Government, for them to drill iii the meantime, with the yjew of becoming attached to the K«w Wand Forces afterwards, wherever they may be stationed.

Hospital Work, We come now to consider the joint working of,men and women, the avenue for which most -roadiiy oouies to iniud is that of hospital,work. But.in this respect t am advised that. ample 'accommodation lias uow tJeen provided for all cases that- are likely' to 7 occur. We may therefore leave that', object out of our purview in the., meantime. Wu come, now to the w6rk that women can do, ill' which tljey- can be-assistod by men, namely,. organising, for tho purpose of working,' making clothing for the .wives" and dependents of our. soldiers. . Some, also, might devote thenv selves• to visiting the wives and 'children of' tlipße brave niont; who have' gone abroad,-so that their ; lives may be made brighter and more' hppeful under the- great strain under which t||ey .are now living. ' There isiihe personal touch, which counts' for jio-imich, and the little attentions to maiiy comforts,; Later; on,-therewill be thoquestion of finding ■accommodation- for, convalescents iu'country homos, so-'tliat /after tliey ijßYtf- passed,:through'" (lie hospitals they\nwgr be \titfiHi -hand and

1 . - ' gradually brought back to health, and 'Oinje.. ntore fit-for active, serto keep in touch Trite 1 rela-, tivss and 'men,' I can nardly fill you i of,the many expressions,and acts ofj kiilduesa already offered in this respoof, and yesterday Hie women of the Victoria League sni'd that they desired, in addition to our own efforts as New Mlpdbfs, to'welcome them as fellow eotfntrymen nt this end, and to make them,feel that there was n deep and lasting interest and affection oxistiug between the people of tlie Mother Conntry nml thoso of her children oversells. Urgent Need of Help. - it may be thought that the work that the women might do just now should be confined entirely to New Zenlnnders fluid those dependent on New Zealandeih, but as many weeks must elapse before they will rcfjiiiie Miicli attention, anil as there is urgent need in so ninny now,;' of kindness and benevolence and practical help,! inn sure that our women will take that on, and when occasion does arise in connection With our own people tliey.eiiu then.switch oh* and devote themselves to that end. The suggestion hasiieeu made that'sonic of this work .might be presented through;our gracious.Queen Mary's organisation, to be called 'the "New Zealand- contribution Mo ■ the wives mill children of our,soldiers," A will be set up/to deuLwith these matters, 1 us will'also one in Connention with finance for the purpose'of collecting-Mind subject to the approval of the main coininittce.-^o.f.disposing of that fund. We are particularly anxious, ,of .course, to maintain the individuality of .our "country" iii, connection with our effort's here, but' subject to .'that-proviso 1 think we arc warm-hearted enough' to widen our'.sphere of work so as to include all effective and willing workers in kindly co-operation. i

Was Not of Our Seeking. And now one word before losing. This war is not of our seeking.. JOuropo was happy,conteuted, and prosperous— Willi one exception as regards contentedness—and now wejiiul,that.that.exception lias ■'caused the whole of the Continent to be involved in one oi' the nifliit fearful wars that lias.darkened, or; will darken, the pages of history. Our position was clearwheu the treaty effecting Belgium .was violated, and uever for one moment did the ■'Government of our country hesitate as to their clear line of duty. .Apart from the fact that Europe's struggle might finally • bee'oiue oura, we could, not divorce ourselves of our responsibility, or sully our honour by abandoning our.friends mMer the conditions alluded to, Brave Belgium and ourselves have therefore eajt ourselves—for 'the moment, at any rate—belweeu that modern tyrant of Eijrope and thoje'he had singled out for hii victims] 1 am sure the whole Empire, if not th? whole civilised world, ■hat .viewed with uwningled admiration the maguifieenf work done by our Government and "arliament in this great and trying time. Each action—step by step—has been thought.' out, with a grjap and a • statesmanlike capacity .worthy of the highest traditions of our race. They have shaped for themselves avenues hitherto uulrod. They have, by a constructive policy, met and provided for financial, trade, and 'war risks aud difficulties, which has calmed tie public mind, and has allowed the machinery of trade and commerce to go on almost uninterruptedly. To the uninitiated what these men have done will never be sufficiently understood, even if it is appreciated. There are those who have declared that Britain and the Empire \h3 a decadent race; but it only required the occasiou to call forth the great determination and ability of cur people to face a great euergci.cy, ' War With a Vengeance,

i Cur' whole Empire, is alive in ; every libri;, The young..nations will unite with the older in upholding the civilisation and peaceful development policy which has all along characterised us, AVell might Kir Kdward (Iroy say with Lord Dalhoiisie: "I wanted pence, I have struggled for peace, but if you are beirt on war, war you shall have with a vengeance." And, I will add, tlint under the direction of capable Ministers, and guided by the powerful arm of Kitchener, the sword shall not lie sheathed until that tyrant disturber of Ihc world's peace shall have been effectively dealt with. \ Lord I'lunket, in moving the adoption | of the name proposed, said that he was j proud to be half a -New Zeahinder, and . to have served so line a people. • Justice Sir Joshua 'Williams, K.C., ]'.(!., of the Court of Appeal, seconded I the motion, which was carried. He said i that they might have to play an uphill ; game—the country knew how to do that. 1 They were opposing the vicious prinj ciple that might was right. (Applause.) ! The Hon'. W. I'einber Kecves, ex-. •■ Agent-General for New Zealand, ..who' , spoke eloquently, was interrupted by 'frequent applause. He referred to the 'unity of the whole Empire, So far as i civilisation went, it was clear we hail nothing to leani from Germany. i On his'motion, seconded by Mr A, Dillon Bell, it was decided to elect.a eoni-j niittee to deal with questions of organ-j 'isation.

On the motion o.f Sir James Hills (chairman of the Union Steam Ship Company, seconded by Mr Charles McMillan, in. executive committee was appointed. Lord Islington, in the course of a thoughtful speech,.expressed the desire of his Majesty V Cioverninent to cooperate and help, ' It was decided that the meeting was in complete approval of the action tatfeu by the New Zealand Government in aiding the Imperial Government In sip msis, . '-. Lady Islington, 'seconded by Lady 'Mills, carried a vote of thanks' to the 'chairman and speakers. Lady'lslington referred to the offer which she and Lord Islington had made of their house to be a hospital, to be culled the Now Zealand Hospital, surgeons, nurses, and patients from the Dominion to have prior claim upon it. , She had been informed that at the present such an institution was not needed, B|ie -wquli) like to know ifslio had the people with hey, (Long applause,) ■'■ The High Commissioner then .called for subscriptions lo the opening of the New Zealand Association's War Fund, and some £I3OO was subscribed iu the room. The High Commissioner, at his office, LI Victoria Street, Westminster, is,receiving further subscriptions,