NEW ZEALAND'S PART

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22099, 3 May 1935, Page 15

NEW ZEALAND'S PART

Sir, —When 1 read the statesmanlike exposition of New Zealand's part in Empire defence, made in Canada by Mr. Forbes, 1 felt 1 recognised the voice, if not the very words, one might have expected from that great Imperialist and Labour leader, the late Rt. Hon. Richard John Seddon. Now wp have the remarkable spectacle o) the Leader of the Labour Party beiny astounded at such statements. Mr. Seddon, however, was of a different calibre to present-day Labour leaders. No man could berate an opponent more mercilessly, but he never resorted to the questionable tactics now adopted by certain politicians, who appear to subordinate everything to their one fetish, votes. If I may presume to express an opinion it is, that the whole gist of Mr. Forbes' remarks simply amounted to this, viz., that Britain has proved herself so definitely on tli.o side of peace she can be relied on to do everything possible toward that end and that New Zealand can safely leave tlip details in her hands. Mr. Savage deplores the holocaust of 1914-1918. Do we not all do so? But who was responsible, Britain or Germany? The inference from Mr. Savage's remarks is, that if Britain had had the benefit of the sagacious advice of the New Zealand Labour Party all that "chaos, hardship, privation and disorder" might have been avoided, and it would be well for Britain to take such counsel in future. After all. however, it is satisfactorv to note that the policy of the Labour Party, according to Mr. Savage, is "to take whatever steps are t7ecessary to defend the Dominion and its democratic institutions." It is to be hoped that next time the defence estimates are under consideration the Labour Party will remember this.

Sraio