NEW ZEALAND FORCES.

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

NEW ZEALAND FORCES.

NO SLACKENING OF EFFORT.

PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

A suggestion that has ' been made in certain quarters that in view of the entry of America into the war New Zealand should relax its efforts, and cither greatly reduce its reinforcements or entirely cease sending soldiers, was referred to by tho Prime Minister in an interview on Saturday. Mr. Massey, who has stated his views on the subject on previous occasions, again expressed the strongest dissent from the proposal. " Unless in a crisis such as ocourred last March the Government does not want to send a man more than is necessary to sufficiently reinforce our troops already in the fighting line, but I think that for New Zealand, or any one of tho Dominions, to slacken off would bo a very serious mistake. If New Zealand, for instance, relaxes its efforts, why not tho other Dominions ? And if the Dominions, why not the Allies? The suggestion, at a time like this especially, is wrong and unwise, and if it received any considerable amount of support would undoubtedly oncourago the enemy to believe that by holding out he might be able to make better terms than the Allies would agree to in view of the existing outlook. Wo are all anxious for peace, out if we do not hold out until a permanent peace has been secured, then tho sacrifices that have been made will have- gone for nought. I understand that the suggestion was that New Zealand could do its duty sufficiently by producing food for the allied armies, but if until the end of the war we wore to depend upon America for our soldiers, it would mean that all our ships would be required to carry troops and munitions, and we should be left with our produce on our hands. In any case the suggestion, I feol sure, will not commend itself to patriotic New Zealanders, and will not be seriously entertained."

CHEERFUL AND VALIANT SOLDIEBS

DOMINION'S PROUD RECORD.

A reference was mado by the Prime Minister on Saturday to the visit recently paid to the New Zealand troop in France. The soldiers were out of the line, enjoying a well-earned rest, consequently the visitors were able- to see more of them than would otherwise have been possible. They all, said Mr. Massey, were naturally anxious for the war to end, so that they might return to their own country, but they were wonderfully cheerful, . and the high reputation that New Zealand soldiers had won earlier in the war was being well maintained. The visiting Ministers, said Mr. Massey, wero able to put right < some matters in which the soldiers were directly concerned, and remove some misapprehension which had,been created by adverse criticism in tho Dominion, There were other matters which could not be dealt with, as they required Parliamentary sanction, but which will be taken in hand in 'due course. . "Our soldiers," remarked the Prime Minister, " havo had their full share of losses and casualties generally, but the Dominion has every reason to be proud of, and satisfied with, her fighting men, and when the war comes to an end there will be no better record than that put up by the New Zealand soldiers. Of course, I] have not seen the New Zealand lists of | casualties for some time, but before we left England, the opinion was expressed by competent authorities that although the fighting had been very heavy during the summer, owing to better precautions and improved method* and appliances being in operation, the casualties had not been nearly so heavy as they had been in the earlier days of the war."