NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16539, 12 November 1915, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND'S SHARE

STATEMENT BY MR MASSET. THE QUESTON OF COMPULSION. * (Fbom Oob Own Cobbespondent.) WELLINGTON, November 11. A statement was made by the Prime Minister, tojday regarding the Government's attitude towards compulsory national service. "In a few days," said Mr Massey, "'« shall know the result of the war census which has been taken, and by the result the Government will be guided.. I have noticed a disposition to. be hysterical on this subject «n the part of a few people already afflicted with ' caooethes scribendi.' We have been tolerably free from this sort of thing—in New Zealand, at least, ,as compared with other parts of the Empire—but if it is necessary for me to do so, let me assure the people of this country, whatever their opinion may be, that the Government knows its duty and. will continue to do it. What New Zealand has already done has met with the enthusiastic approval of the Imperial authorities and those who are best qualified to judge throughout the Empire. That is no idle boast, but a plain statement of fact. Our men are acknowledged to-day to be among the best of the soldiers of the Empire. Their training and courage havebeen the admiration of the senior officers of the British army. Apart altogether from the Territorials and Senior Cadets, we have 40,000 men under arms. This is something to be proud of. Our obligations to Imperial authorities for next year, or until the conclusion of the war, are 2500 men, say, every four weeks. This will include 9000 of the 40,000 I have referred to, leaving 31,000 or thereabouts to be .-found, during 1916. That the dominion can and' will do this I have not the slightest doubt; if not by one methed, then by another, or by a combination of both. In matters,connected with the war the Government id, ot course, working -with the Imperial -authorities, and cannot allow itself to be affected by every opinion that may be expressed; but we are working all the time with one object, and. that is—New Zealand doing ite r full duty in assisting the Empire to bring the war to a successful and satisfactory termination."