PURPOSE OF THE TRIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16980, 14 October 1918, Page 7

PURPOSE OF THE TRIP.

IMPERIAL WAR CABINET.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS.

In speaking on Saturday in regard to the visit of the Minister for Finance and himself to England, the Prime Minister said:— journey, both going to and returning from England, in a time like this, as can be imagined, was very interesting, but without any particularly exciting incident*. The Pacific is looked upon as quite safe, and I think rightly so, while on the Atlantic side we sighted no submarines, nor, so far as we know, did they sight us. The more important part of our work, of course, was the business connected with and arising from the sittings of the War Cabinet and the Imperial War Conference, but with a large population of New Zealanders within reach of London there was a great deal of other business to be attended to. Early in July we visited the New Zealand Division on the western front, and at the same time attended a sitting of the Supreme War Council at Versailles where we met Mar. shal Foch, the French Prime Minister, M. Clemenceau, and numbers of representative men from the various allied countries."

In a reference to the sittings of the Imperial .-ar Cabinet and Conference, Mr. Massey said :—" The proceedings at sittings of the War Cabinet are strictly confidential, except with regard to matters on whi'-h the British Prime Minister sees fit to make a statement. Perhaps the most important matter dealt with was the new arrangement by which any Dominion may appoint a Minister to attend the meetings of the Cabinet which will be held periodically,, or when the British Prime Minister deems it necessary to convene a meeting. The arrangement is optional, but I believe that in time the whole of the Dominions ' will take advantage of the privilege.! Prime Ministers from the Dominions will be entitled to be present at meetings of the Cabinet whenever it is convenient for them to attend. The report of the proceedings of the War Conference is being printed, and that part which is not confidential will be published in due course. Very- important, work was done by both Cabinet and Conference, and it quite justified the meeting of representatives from every one of the Dominions and from India."

SUCCESS OF THE ALLIES.

STRENGTH GROWING DAILY.

THE ENEMY WEAKENING.

In reviewing the war situation and the prospects of peace, Sir Joseph Ward remarked on Saturday that the only peace that could assure the future freedom of the world from the hateful system of tyranny adopted by Germany must be a peace brought, about by the complete defeat of the enemy on land and sea. Thus only would the civilised people of the world be able to follow their callings without the ever-present fear which had existed for so many years past that an enemy country could swoop down upon them at a moment's notice with the object of subjecting them to a hateful dictatorship of a military caste seeking world domination. A period of great anxiety had undoubtedly been experienced in Britain during the German offensive of March last, said Sir Joseph. Nevertheless, there had not been any indication, in that period of stress, of any kind of yielding to the desires expressed by the pacificists. As a matter of fact, the temporary reverse suffered by the Allies at that time had had the opposite effect upon the British public. It was not long before this spirit was justified by Marshal Inch's turning of the tables on the enemy when they made their great attempt to reach Paris and the Channel ports. Despite their superior man-power at that time, the Germans under-estimated the strategic mastermind in control of the whole of the allied aimies, which, while awaiting the practical help of the American Army, succeeded in preventing them from attaining their objectives'. Sir Joseph said it was unfortunate that tho European winter was now so close at hand. With a continuation of summer weather for another six months the Allies, in his opinion, would have forced the enemy to capitulate within that period. With the advent of winter, however, a lull in the operations on the western front appeared to be inevitable. It was satisfactory to know, however, that such a lull would allow of the transport and training of many more American soldiers, who were a magnificent body of men, and who were crossing the Atlantic in great numbers, in spite of the contrary predictions of the Germans. Thus, in the spring, the forces at the disposal of the Allies in the west would be so. superior to those of the enemy that a prolonged stand by Germany and her allies, to avert defeat, would not be possible,