GREAT WAVE OF LOYALTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15685, 12 August 1914, Page 9

GREAT WAVE OF LOYALTY.

SACRIFICE OF PARENTS.

SONS GIVEN AS TROOPERS.

MAORIS READY TO FIGHT.

[BT TELIGBAI'H.—SrCOIAL COBBESPONDEITT.*

Wellington, Tuesday.

Tho spirit of self-sacrifice exhibited by many parents in connection with the organisation of the expeditionary force was referred to by tho Prime Minister in his speech at a, public meeting at the Town Hall this evening.

During tho last few days, he said, ho had received many letters— letters many of them—from mothers entreating that their sons, who in somo cases were only sons, might bo given a chance of going to tho front in order to show their loyalty to the Empire. (Cheers.) Letters had also been received by tho Defence Minister and himself from fathers making a similar plea in regard to their sons. In an allusion to tho native race, Mr. Massey said 4£at fccores of offers for service had been received from the Maoris. (Cheers.) He was sorry that up to tho present tho Maoris had been disappointed in not being allowed to go to the front. The Maoris had offered to provido a force of five, ten, or if required fifteen thousand men to give whatever assistance they could in the service of their country. .Ho hoped that they would yet have an opportunity of showing what they were made of, because tho Maori was nothing if not a good fighter. (Applause.)